Review by Satis Shroff: STANDING TALL & TRIBAL POEMS

Bookreview by Satis Shroff : Standing Tall & Tribal Poems

Author: Bevan Thomas  Title Standing Tall 1994, Library of Congress ISBN 1-56 167-273-41, 50 pages & Tribal Poems: Poems of the American West, 202, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, Toronto ISBN: 0-375-41459-2, pages 256

The best way to understand a folk is to look into their ceremonies, rituals, songs, dances, prayers and stories. The history of Native Americans is so multi-layered and as astounding as the fairy-tales and mythology of the Hindus, Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese and other peoples. These poems show us how diverse they are in their tribal and national manifestations.

Bevan Thomas lived in Fort McDowell Indian Reservation in Arizona and his second book bears the title ‘The Light in the Darkness.’ The aims and purpose of the book ‘Standing Tall’ written by Bevan Thomas are to take the reader through an entire gamut of feelings and vibes felt deeply by an Apache poet who lived in a reservation and had a tough time. It is about the poet’s insights and visions, as experience by a native Yavapai Apache.

Bevan wrote poems to ease the pain of his younger brother, and in doing so he realised that he overcame his own pain and suffering. Rather than talking about his problems, Bevan the poet wrote his feelings in his poems which was a great help to him.

Bevan’s father was a shaman with a lot of traditional knowledge.

The contents of the book are divided into 12 chapters that deal with: life, belief, thoughts, nativity in which bird is depicted as entering the town. When you die the children come calling, are sad and become part of the earth.

The very first poem introduces the reader to the injustices inflicted on  Native Americans through the Caucasian settlers coming from Europe: conquest and removal of the Mohave-Apache who form a tribal community. The poet identifies himself to his ethnic identity and cultural heritage—which is disappearing and relates in his verses about the dismal sorrow and fate in his own case, as well as those of his protagonists. The themes involved  are: removal from ancestral native homelands and confinement in a fort-reservation, under control and surveillance after the last battle has been  lost. The issues are those of conquest and colonisation of a vanquished folk.

The poem ‘Metamorphosis’ is about changing from child to adult, the experience of living like in a dream, shaken by life, awakened by death, life of me that is all that is left. In the ‘Children’ the kids play and pay with their lives for the sin called ‘lust’ –we hear Satan’s laughter. We pay with our lives, come my children, it’s time to play. The poem ‘Bad Boy’ deals with a boy who’s really bad, you need not look to him to see him sad. His soul is gone, the cord is pulled.

In ‘The Trail’ we come across the angst of children along the trail towards home. In ‘Uncommon Decision’ we learn about the courage it to take one’s life, which lies in storage: the cries emitted, was it laughter? Laid to rest at last, now it’s time to join in Satan’s cast.

The poem ‘Poetic Justice’ is about a case won. The prosecutor responds with an evil stare. The trail is over and you’re released. However, the prosecutor is disappointed, his face drowned in grief. Some leave (the courtroom) with tears, some leaveth with laughter. ‘Execution’ depicts a condemned man’s last thoughts..

‘I hate my family, /I hate the world,/That was the reason, /I killed the girl.’

The poem ‘Execution’ shows the protagonist prepared for death, enjoys his meal. In a monologue in prison he says:

‘Life was hard for me to live,/ My death to the court I had to give.’

The protagonist is strapped down onto the bed. / The doc is ready to make the incision.

His family awaits a last-minute decision./ His time has run out. ‘They’ll never understand

My death was a crime. /From life into death,/ It makes him glad.’

What was the reasoning of the protagonist? He admits: ‘I killed for death/ And not for power/

Within my death/ I vision a tower. They’ll never know/ That I have won.’

The last poem is ‘Reaching the End’ depicts death: ‘I saw death in white satin/I leave nothing behind,/There are people gathered/Some, looking with worry others/with clenched fists, staring with fury./ Death has its doorway,/ no teaching of sin/ unfolding curtains,/they’ll find it again.

The poems evoke longing, isolation, loss and suicide attempts as a result of alcohol and drug consumption. The poems connect the native American  past with the present. Bevan Thomas’ ‘Standing tall’ tells us about life’s wonderous pathways as he evolves from ‘Nativity’ to become a ‘part of the Earth..’ He uses  met from his Native American heritage and teaches us about the strength of the ‘Eagle’ and the shyness of the ‘coyote.’ In the end, the poet leaves the us to our own visions and insights.

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‘Tribal Poems: Poems of the American West, Alfred A. Knopfd on the other hand,  are with translations by Robert Bly/ Frances Densmore/ C G Hanzlicek. In this compact book of poems, 15 in all on tribal themes, some are short, some long. In the forward Robert Mezey mentions an old song: ‘I want to ride to the ridge where the West commences..’

But where is that ridge?’ He admits he has restricted himself to the 20^th century, where most of good western poetry is to be found.’

Chippe wa: Sometimes I go about goes thus:

Pitying myself all the time/ I am being carried by great winds/ across the sky. The second poem ‘Yokuts: Song of the Eclipse’ depicts a Native American thought:

Leave me a little sun/ Don’t eat it all,/leave me just a little.

In ‘Makah: Song’ the poet says:

Mine is a proud village,/such as it is,/ We are at our best when dreaming.

Another poem ‘Hidatsa: We Made a Fire’ relates: My friend/ In the old days/ When we made a fire/ It was pleasant./ Now you’re married/ I understand women.

‘Papago: Song of the Brown Buzzard’: You must enjoy/ Yourselves in the evening./Look at me/ I took my own scalp/ And hung it on a pole/ See how I look/ But I’m still happy.

In ‘Dakota: Song of Reproach’ there is an admonishment to the braves: ‘Warriors, you ran away!/ Even the eagle dies!

‘Chippewa: Where the Fight Was’ tells us about the aftermath of a battlefield: In the place where the fight was/ Across the river:/The women go wailing/ To the wounded/ The women go wailing/ To pick up the dead.

The poem ‘Pawnee: Better to Die Young’ is about old age among Native Americans: The old man is coming/ It hurts to walk/ With a cane/ It even hurts/ To pick up a cane.

A delightful story is told in ‘Malecite: Tale’: It the story of a dog who is liked by a woman. And so goes the story...that night the dog turned into a man. He became her husband. Many, many moons later the village dogs started chasing a bitch. She asked her husband if he’d like to become a dog again. He said: ‘yes’ and immediately ran away.  

‘Sioux: the earth is all that lives’ depicts Native American tribal thought about Mother Earth: The earth is all that lives/ And the earth does not last./ We sit on a hillside, by the Greasy Grass/ And our little shadow lies out in the blades of grass,/ until sunset.