Shield Of Silent Faith

Shield Of Silent Faith
© Surazeus
2025 06 17

If you target my kind generous heart 
for assassination with bitter words, 
I forge considerate shield of silent faith 
from firm belief in goodness of the world 
to maintain implicit integrity 
on which I found attention of my love. 

After you give me with nonchalant hand 
basket of strawberries too tart to eat, 
I boil them in pot of angry regret 
till they transform into syrup of peace, 
so when you return with wagon of wheat 
I feed you with pancakes of calm respect. 

Placing plate of fried buttermilk pancakes 
on wood table before the grim-faced farmer, 
Leone pours strawberry syrup on top, 
and smiles when Frank devours it with pride, 
grinning like wolf that devours stray plump sheep, 
and his stone face softens in sunset glow. 

Just as Frank finishes the last pancake, 
stone-tipped arrow with eagle feathers whisks  
through cotton curtain and thwacks on his book 
with half-written poem beside the black quill, 
so he grabs his rifle and runs outside 
to see Hotah surrounded by five men. 

Shocked at sight of his Sioux friend and his wife, 
gentle Zonta with their daughter Wachiwi, 
surrounded by Zachary and his sons, 
Frank shouts and runs to stand beside strong Hotah, 
then aims his rifle at the five cowboys 
who shout and aim their rifles at his heart. 

"Why protect this vile thief," Zachary growls, 
who keeps hunting deer in my private woods?" 
Asserting authority of his land, 
Frank declares, "They are all now on my land, 
so I give them sanctuary with faith. 
Leave my land for they are guests of my home." 

Gesturing for his sons to lower their guns, 
Zachary growls and retreats down the road, 
but threatens to kill them if he hunts again. 
Frank growls back, "That land along the lake shore, 
which you claim by right of your greedy gun, 
belonged to Hotah and his whole tribe first." 

Protecting his friends from five angry men, 
Frank explains with assertive voice of truth, 
"This whole land belonged to his thriving tribe, 
his father Mahkah, and his father Mato, 
and so on since the beginning of time. 
You and my father stole this land from them." 

Pointing to the woods where herds of deer roam, 
Frank reminds him, "The deer in those wild woods 
are free for anyone to hunt for food 
as ancestors of Hotah did for centuries." 
Guiding Hotah, Zonta, and Wachiwi safe 
inside his home, Frank offers them pancakes. 

After they all eat stacks of hot pancakes 
with strawberry syrup, and apple cider, 
Wachiwi and Zipporah dance together, 
two young girls with happy star-spangled eyes 
singing with joy before the glowing hearth 
while Hotah beats drum and Frank plays guitar.