Across the village, the moon spreads for my homecoming,<\/span><\/p>\n
It has been a thousand moons<\/span><\/p>\n
The birds no longer tweet,<\/span><\/p>\n
nor do the crickets chirp.<\/span><\/p>\n
The hawks no longer swoop on the mouse,<\/span><\/p>\n
Nor do the dogs chase the cats.<\/span><\/p>\n
Here at home, nature has become a stranger,<\/span><\/p>\n
The white men came, clogging<\/span><\/p>\n
On wheels of salvation,<\/span><\/p>\n
Teaching us their ways; while they,<\/span><\/p>\n
like rats, blew our feet with air<\/span><\/p>\n
to soothe our soles.<\/span><\/p>\n
They buried our names beneath their feet;<\/span><\/p>\n
They displaced our native tongue\u2014<\/span><\/p>\n
A tongue of yesteryears,<\/span><\/p>\n
Now distant music to our ears.<\/span><\/p>\n
Remember the palm oil lamps that brightened our evenings?<\/span><\/p>\n
The tales that gave eyes to moonlight?<\/span><\/p>\n
All gone!<\/span><\/p>\n
The clansmen have lost their tongues.<\/span><\/p>\n
They can only shake their heads,<\/span><\/p>\n
Munch their teeth,<\/span><\/p>\n
And grumble under their breath,<\/span><\/p>\n
Civilization has taken it all.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Homecoming Across the village, the moon spreads for my homecoming, It has been a thousand moons The birds no longer tweet, nor do the crickets chirp. The hawks no longer <\/p>\n