buffalo bones --
dust blows off
the Dakota plains
Karen O'Leary
Chinese Translation (Traditional)
水牛骨頭 --
達科他平原
灰塵四起
Chinese Translation (Simplified)
水牛骨头 --
达科他平原
灰尘四起
Bio Sketch
Karen
O’Leary is a writer and editor from West Fargo, ND. She has published
poetry, short stories, and articles in a variety of venues including Frogpond, A Hundred Gourds, Haiku Pix, bear creek haiku, Shemom, Creative Inspirations and NeverEnding Story. She edits an online journal called Whispers.
Combined with the zoom-out technique, Karen's socio-environmentally conscious haiku builds, line by line, to an unexpected yet visually stunning and thematically significant ending -- the extermination of the American bison. And on second reading, the dust (of memory/history) effectively carries symbolic significance.
ReplyDeleteBelow is a relevant excerpt from "On Ecological Amnesia" accessed at https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2018/11/08/On-Ecological-Amnesia/
[Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from the new book, Memory, published Oct. 1, 2018 by the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies at UBC.]
... As late as 1871, buffalo outnumbered people in North America. In that year, one could stand on a bluff in the Dakotas and see nothing but buffalo in every direction for 30 miles. Herds were so large that it took days for them to pass a single point. Wyatt Earp described one herd of a million animals stretching across a grazing area the size of Rhode Island. Within nine years of that sighting, buffalo had vanished from the plains.
The destruction of the buffalo resulted from a campaign of biological terrorism unparalleled in the history of the Americas. The policy of the federal government of the United States was explicit: exterminate the buffalo and destroy the commissary of the great cultures of the plains. Over 100 million bison were slaughtered. A decade after Native resistance collapsed, the general who orchestrated the campaign advised Congress to mint a commemorative medal with a dead buffalo on one side, a dead “Indian” on the other...
...The era of the tall-grass prairie, like the time of the buffalo, is as distant from their lives as the fall of Rome or the siege of Troy. Yet the terrible events unfolded but a century ago, well within the lifetime of their grandparents. This capacity to forget, this fluidity of memory, has dire implications in a world dense with people, all desperate to satisfy their immediate material needs. Confronted by the consequences of our actions, there is always the path of forgetfulness...
Dear Chen-ou,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this thoughtful analysis as well as your translations. Wow! I appreciate the time you put into this publication.
The Native American culture is one of spiritual significance. Though I grew up in central Minnesota with limited exposure to the rich heritages of native tribes, my husband and I have tried to introduce our daughters to the rich symbolism through various events, the most significant was a flute player who presented stories to share along with the demonstration of music born of the different flutes he played. We were having dinner afterwards at a local cafe when he walked in. It was so nice to share how much we enjoyed his show and how good it was to learn more about the Sioux nation in person.
The more we learn about others allows the opportunity for passing the peace pipe in a new journey. That is a gift.
In gratitude,
Karen
Well done you two!
ReplyDeleteDear John,
DeleteThank you for your kind words. Wishing you the best always!
Karen
It is always a joy to read passages from Karen O'Leary. This one gives me pause, and just cause to offer thanks for. What perfect timing for our holiday week.
ReplyDeleteDear Michael,
DeleteThank you for these kind words and your ongoing encouragement. People like you are gift to the writing community.
Blessings always,
Karen
Well done both of you, my friends!
ReplyDeleteDear Gert,
DeleteThank you so much for stopping by to share your thoughts. Chen-ou provides a wonderful journal for writers to share their words.
Blessings,
Karen
Dear Chen-ou Liu,
ReplyDeleteThis is my haiku:
Still in bed
after a sleepless night
thoughts wander
Kind regards,
Gert W. Knop
Dear Gert,
DeleteThe guidelines for submission are on the top right of the main page. If you submit your poem, best wishes.
Karen
I loved both...your haiku Karen and your analysis Chen-ou. A joy to read,
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Charlene
Dear Charlene,
DeleteIt was an honor for me to have Chen-ou publish such an in depth analysis of my haiku. Thank you for your kind words.
Blessings always,
Karen
What an epic Haiku. How great an experience it would have been to see these massive herds. Thanks for sharing this look into history. There is a great cost for those who choose the path of forgrtfulness. Sincerely Suzanne
ReplyDeleteDear Suzanne,
DeleteThe Wounded Knee massacre, killing woman and children huddled together with no defense. That with killing the main sources of meat to many tribes--another tragedy. It sullied our nation that was supposed to liberty and justice for all. Thank you for your insightful thoughts.
Blessings,
Karen
buffalo bones! the poem draws us close.
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear from you, Aju. Thank you for your thoughts.
DeleteBlessings,
Karen
Living in South Dakota, the buffalo were always important to us even as children. My father installed in us a great love of these wondrous animals. Thanks to both of you for this haiku and explanations.
ReplyDeleteDear Mary Jo,
DeleteI was so surprised and grateful for Chen-ou's extensive analysis. I'm glad you shared that the explanation was wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the buffalo. I agree they are fascinating creatures.
Blessings,
Karen
lovely haiku - so pleased to see this x
ReplyDeleteDear Jack,
DeleteThank you for your kind words. Chen-ou's journal is beautiful--a gift to the writing community. Best wishes!
Blessings,
Karen
Karen's haiku and history of the buffalo, so very interesting. How much there is to know in this world and I have learned something new.
ReplyDeleteDear Isha,
ReplyDeleteThe more that we know about different cultures the more we understand and embrace them. Thank you so much for your kind words.
Blessings always,
Karen
Congratulations, Karen. Yours is what a real haiku is meant to be. I enjoyed it immensely, as I also did regarding Chen-ou's elaborate notes.
ReplyDeleteDear Paul,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. I am so grateful that Chen-ou took the time to share his insightful thoughts.
Blessings,
Karen