[Newspoetry] Nation of Conquerers

[Mike Lehman]

Bush says
"We've never been a nation
Of conquerors"
To reassure other peoples
Concerned about our terrorist war
Somehow
He must have missed
The history lesson
About the people
Who were American before
The white man came
Who killed, starved, and imprisoned
The native man
Along with native women
And native children
Who were forbidden
To speak their native language
Made them speak English
So they can understand the words
Of the Illini Fight Song
While the Chief
Dances their heritage
Into the plastic dust
Of Memorial Stadium