Through the forest, followed, Henry made his silky way,
No chickadee was troubled, small moss smiled
on his swift passage.
But there were those ahead when at midday
they met in a clearing and lookt at each other awhile.
To kill was not the message.
He only could go with themâ?”odds? 20 to one-and-a-half;
pointless. Besides, palaver with the High Chief
might advance THE CAUSE.
Undoubtedly down they sat and they did talk
and one did balk & stuck but one did stalk
a creation of new laws.
He smoked the pipe of peaceâ?”the sceen? tepees,
wigwams, papooses, buffalo hides, a high fireâ?”
with everyone,
even that abnormally scrubbed & powerful one,
shivering with power, held together with wires,
his worst enemy.
(John Berryman)
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Based on Topics: Power Poems, Law & Regulation Poems, Enemy PoemsBased on Keywords: creation, stuck, ahead, advance, troubled, chief, followed, worst, awhile, swift, moss