The Trail of Tears

Hello everyone!

Right now, at school we are learning about early American history.  Andrew Jackson, supposedly the best president, supposedly the worst.  I'm going to go with worst, because a good president wouldn't make over 8,000 American Indians walk from Georgia to Oklahoma in the middle of winter.
We were assigned to write a poem about somebody on the trail, so here's mine.  I called it 'Tiny Angel' and it is about an eight year old girl named Effie Oaks who was on the trail.

Tiny Angel
Sleep now, tiny angel
in the morning you shall wake
your calloused feet are tired,
your frame will never cease to shake
Dry your eyes now, tiny angel
you’ve carried on so long
this tyrant who does plague you
will be washed away by dawn
Hush now, tiny angel
your family had to leave
but they never wanted too,
you carry your wailing brother, in hopes that he won’t leave you too
Tearful, tiny angel
the crystals gather in your eyes
diamonds cascade down your cheeks,
you used to be so shy
Remember, tiny angel
and rest your fevered head
remember 1928 when the first one was found dead
Blossom, tiny angel
and continue to bloom
your tears water the thirsty soil
and strain to grow
fight him, tiny angel
fight the one revered
he holds you back with gossamer threads to never again break free
It’s almost over, tiny angel
and when you watch the others die
do you feel emotion, or have to seen too many cry
Burning, tiny angel
this fallen snow cuts deep
the thorns of bruises open wide and leave splashes of red against the snow
Avert your eyes, tiny angel
for you do not need to see, the chief collapse of sickness
the elder slumped against the tree
Singing, tiny angel
you raise your voice in song, wail above the howling wind
been singing for so long
Don’t give up, tiny angel
you know you’ll get there soon, or will they have to dig another grave
to lay your weightless form
You couldn’t, tiny angel
you couldn’t stay alive
a porcelain beauty, as human as you
responsible for this child’s death,

A tiny angel, in the snow

See everyone next post!

-The Watermelon Radish