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For some people...
Lands and facets are set aside,
for one's identity, belonging and pride.
Those within are separated by choice,
those leaving do so without rejoice.
For others outside of this flat world,
always talked within by negatives hurled.
Certain offerings are taken by embracing hands;
contemptuous suspicions and voiced insults land.
Others feel their roots too, but are rejected;
suffering contempt, indignation and feel dejected.
Funny that is actually the claims from those within,
which is where they feel that history has trapped them.
The toughest boundaries aren't razor and barbed wire,
it's the mind that traps the spirit and hatred is sired.
One wonders if tribal areas are really good to keep,
as we all share the same roots in a good spirit runs deep.
Dark hollow eyed are those who make these lands their home,
there is even more spirit left in scattered bleached bones.
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Author Notes
In Pakistan, they have their tribal areas which while preferring to be left alone, still offer support to various terrorists who promise to help them out. The leaders in those areas freely voice their resentment and contempt, blame those they hate for their poor conditions, which are actually the product of their isolation. While things like money and peace are taken, there really isn't any positive that is given back out to those around them that give to them. So to speak, many people in the tribal world can't place themselves in the real world.
I ran into this with Native American reservations who would welcome me to their casinos, yet show resentment outside of that venue leading one to feel very unwelcome. In Tennessee that was the case when I wanted to purchase a flute and decided not to buy it when I wasn't permitted to play it. In another instance, I asked to visit Pine Ridge Reservation to see if I could pay my respects to Iron Hail and Fools Crow. No one saw fit to get back to me or at least point me in a direction. When I mentioned this to a friend that was a Native American who gladly lives within this society, yet spent time living on a reservation actually told me this was for the best as I would have been very disappointed on what I saw and how I would be treated. No, not all tribal lands are like this, but there are enough left that made me think about this poem.
I sometimes fear that writer's face such a world at times and try for a little self-ingratiation create their own tribal worlds.
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