rawclyde

!

One day one drunken Indian i done happen to cuss

“we’ve destroyed the Indians,” replied old Russ

who’d just had the last of his teeth pulled out

“now we gotta take care of them, that’s what it’s about”

~

They wander around drunk, begging, won’t leave me alone

nickle & dime me to death and for nothin’ want rides home

knock on my door in the middle of the freezing night

“Well, Russ, they’re real done in, they’re a real fright”

~

I sell one book for 50-cents, it takes all day long

“Clyde, you got 50-cents?” says an Indian who stumbles along

he tries to get my money for nothin’ every damn day

& what’s he gonna do with it?  drink it away!

~

Then Papago Gene starts bringing me food

‘cuz one day I balled him out, got a little rude

now he wants a hundred-mile ride home

well, the truck don’t run on kindness alone

~

I’ve read up on thee olde Papagos and the Tohono O’odham Nation

their songs to the sea & the whittling away of their reservation

but despite that, they got more than me & want more still

I ain’t got no monthly check or land & prob’ly never will

~

But here they come on a rampage on Election Day

I get to meet Ramon, the mean one who has nothin’ good to say

so, like a good desert squirrel, I simply run away

how’s that, Russ?  “I guess they’re on their own today”

…

(Copyright Clyde Collins 1999)