Horses

Horses


1,000 ponies, the United States Cavalry stole 1,000 ponies
from the Spokane Indians, shot 1,000 ponies & only 1 survived,
shot 1,000 ponies & left them as monuments, left 1,000
ponies falling into dust, fallen, shot 1,000 ponies and
only 1 survived.

*

At the last Spokane Tribal All-Indian Rodeo, I remember
an Indian cowboy, I remember an Indian cowboy rode a horse
named Custer's Revenge, the horse named Custer's Revenge
broke through a fence, broke

through four-by-six boards, I remember the horse named
Custer's Revenge broke through a fence, I remember the
Indian cowboy rode a horse named Custer's Revenge.

*

The United States Cavalry shot 1,000 ponies and only 1
survived, she was found, someone found her, she was found
in Montana, giving birth to a colt, born running from
the United States Cavalry, born running into the Kentucky
Derby, giving birth to a colt

named Spokane, the colt named Spokane running in the
Kentucky Derby, born running into the mile-and-a-half,
from the United States Cavalry, the colt named Spokane
won the Kentucky Derby, set a record for the mile-and-a-
half, the colt named Spokane was born running.

*

My cousin rode his horse in a reservation cross-country
race, my cousin rode his horse to the top of Wellpinit
Mountain, my cousin was miles ahead of the nearest horse
at the top of the mountain, my cousin was miles ahead of
the nearest horse

but his horse would not go down the mountain, my cousin
whipped his horse, kicked the horse bloody, but the
horse would not go down the mountain, my cousing cried
and whipped, kicked the horse bloody, but the horse
would not, would not go down the mountain.

*

Last night, I woke to the sound of gunshots,
1,000 rifles, last night, I woke to the sound
of gunshots, 1,000 rifles, last night I woke
to the sound of gunshots, 1,000 rifles, last
night I awoke to the sound of gunshots, 1,000
rifles, last night, I woke to the sound of
gunshots.

*

The Plains Indian rode her horse 18 hours a day,
a Plains Indian rode under her horse's neck into
battle, the Plains Indian shot seven arrows
consecutively, the Plains Indian had seven arrows
in flight simultaneously, the Plains Indian rode
her horse 18 hours a day.

There are witnesses.

*

After I heard the story on the radio,
the story I had never heard before,
I wanted to steal it all back, steal
1,000 ponies back from the United States Cavalry,

steal the ponies stolen from the Spokane Indians,
steal the horse named Spokane, steal
the Kentucky Derby, steal the mile-and-a-half,
steal every pony in my life.

*

My brother, the bingo caller, made five hundred in tips
one week, my brother went to the horse races, my
brother bet five hundred dollars on the daily double,
in the first race Grammas Luck won by a length, my
brother's horse won by a length in the first race,
in the second

my brother lost it all, in the second race Go Fast lost
a photo finish, my brother's horse lost a photo finish,
my brother holding ten tickets, ripping them into
halves, my brother holding ten tickets, ripping them
into halves, my brother strangely in love with himself.

*

1,000 ponies shot
& only 1 survived.

*

The Indian was measured before
by the number of horses he owned,
the wealth of an Indian was determined
by the exact number of horses

he owned, I own no
horses, I own no horses,
my next door neighbors own
a dozen horses, my cousins

own more horses than I can count,
I own no horses,
the Indian was measured before
by the number of horses he owned,

the exact number, I won
no horses, I own
no horses, I own
no horses.


Sherman Alexie.......from Old Shirts & New Skins