Читать книгу Kindest Regards - Ted Kooser - Страница 15

Fort Robinson

When I visited Fort Robinson,

where Dull Knife and his Northern Cheyenne

were held captive that terrible winter,

the grounds crew was killing the magpies.

Two men were going from tree to tree

with sticks and ladders, poking the young birds

down from their nests and beating them to death

as they hopped about in the grass.

Under each tree where the men had worked

were twisted knots of clotted feathers,

and above each tree a magpie circled,

crazily calling in all her voices.

We didn’t get out of the car.

My little boy hid in the back and cried

as we drove away, into those ragged buttes

the Cheyenne climbed that winter, fleeing.