Sunday, July 31, 2016
Continuity
The trouble of her difficulty is the men!
An even dozen.
Who often fight, after requisite bragging.
And, bloody, after.
She finally drags them before Head
and Council.
Each speaks of his frustration.
Listeners nod, and then whip them.
Ritual, though some lay on hard to
hear the yells.
Head pronounces "Tribe needs babies.
To be cute and loved by all, and then
grow up to help build the canoes.”
In chorus the council sings
"The Gods need canoes.
One to a family and
another to them!”
Head tells the young men.
“Loving is learned with time, just don't
hurry the moment for your own self.
This is not America!”
Unless a good report to the council in
a year's time, all the braves will be
forced to paddle West, never turning back.
The young woman smiles and laughs more,
and is pregnant! The other women smile and
laugh more also.
The tribe sings to each possible father, traveling
from hut to hut at twilight.
The gods are happy with the promise of new canoes.
Anyway, the babies will come in a flood now!
Midwives are training new midwives.
Head can’t stop drinking, and is replaced.
Not a disgrace, since he will soon visit each
and every baby, and be Uncle to all of them.
As the new Head has ordered.
Labels: government, tribal, tribal quarrels, tribal solidarity
