Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Longfellow wrote of Jews
in eighteen fifty two:

"The groaning earth in travail and in pain
brings forth its races, but does not restore,
and the dead nations never rise again."

Ninety six years later,
in nineteen fourty-eight,

the groaning earth in travail and in pain
re-birthed a nation two thousand years dead,
and proved old nations really rise again.

Be patient, Lakota, Cherokee, Lenapi:
live on this land as one released from pain.

The earth holds fast its races, and restores
the dying nations to their lands again.

Hear my words, Navajo, Creek, Hopi, Seminole:

The earth that birthed its races in hard pain
remembers them when they are in exile,
and brings them back into their lands again.