Nathaniel K. asked 6 years ago
Tell me
Where is it written
In this oral tradition
What what I create
Is subject to such dictations
Lorded over by some sort
Of ethno-eccentrics
That says because you are brown
You must paint nothing but eagles
And sing nothing but powwow
And write nothing but how good
It is to be Native
And how badly we were treated
By the government and churches
And how tasty bannock is
Which isn’t even Native
And even why I have to proclaim
My genetic life story
Why does this scene
Want my treaty card to precede me?
Why am I evil
If I say I don’t want to?
Why can’t I be me
Who just happens to be Cree?
Why can’t my style stand apart
From all this souvenir-stand art?
I do not hate what I am
I just don’t live by sweetgrass plans
I am not brown and acting black
I don’t watch Tribal Trails or scream at you
To give our land back
I am what I am
First and above all
In this life of mine
Being brown is an afterthought
Nicholas
This would be a dramatic monologue. We have gone over this poem already and told about the literary devices already.