Unearthed (To the Two Hundred and Fifteen)

 Un-Earthed

by
Jules F. Delorme


215
Two Hundred and Fifteen
Children
Innocent Souls
Un-Earthed
That is the number we know
That is just the number we know today
That is just the number found today
They once said it was Fifty
They once said it was none
Two Hundred and Fifteen
And there are so many more
So many more
The People have always known
The People have always known that so many were lost
So many were lost
So many Un-Earthed
How do we begin to count?
How do we add up all the souls all the spirits
Kill the Indian Save the Man
Just Kill the Indian
And still
And still
So many bodies
So many murdered souls
So many names that we do not know
And so many that we do
Names like Colton Boushie and Kimberly Squirrel
Why?
Why do you hate us so?
Or is it worse?
Is it that you just don’t care?
You lower your flags
And tomorrow you forget
But we cannot
We cannot
Two Hundred and Fifteen is just one more number
It does not tell the story
It cannot tell our story
It does not tell of the pain in my Tóta’s eyes
It does not tell of the pain that my Grandfather passed on
It does not tell of the pain that my father passed on
Just a number
Just another number
Two Hundred and Fifteen
Oh, how my heart aches when I hear that number
Oh, how my heart aches for the so many more that were Un-Earthed
When will it stop?
Will it ever stop?
How many more will it take?
How many more must be Un-Earthed?
Entire Nations
Un-Earthed
Names we cannot begin to count
Un-Earthed
Names we will never know
Un-Earthed
Children So many Children
Un-Earthed
Ancestors and Loved Ones
Un-Earthed
Souls Broken Spirits
Un-Earthed
All the suicides
Un-Earthed
It goes on
It still goes on
Un-Earthed
When will it be enough?
Is Two hundred and Fifteen enough?
Is the land all that land taken
Enough?
Is what is left of the Earth
Enough?
Just give us a number
Any number that will be
Enough
We cannot keep count
We cannot keep count
Of all of those who have been
Un-Earthed
Of all those souls
Of all those spirits
Of all those children
Of all those Children
Un-Earthed
Today we count Two Hundred and Fifteen
Two Hundred and Fifteen Children
Two Hundred and Fifteen Innocents
Un-Earthed
And with each and every number
Our very souls
Our very spirits
Continue to be
Continue to be
Continue to be
Un-Earthed


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