Laura's Buffalo Hunt-Part Three "Now that Buffalo's Gone"

We're coming up on the last of the Moorhead Bison, but I've tried to save the very best for last. This is "Now that the Buffalo's Gone" by Timothy Ray.


This buffalo features four versus of a song by artist Buffy Sainte-Marie, who I am very interested in learning more about since being introduced to her poetry by this fine bison. More information on Buffy Sainte-Marie can be found at http://www.creative-native.com

Can you remember the times
When you have held your head high
And told all your friends of your Indian claim
Proud good lady and proud good man
Your great-great grandfather from Indian blood sprang
And you feel in your heart for these ones

When a war between nations is lost
The loser we know pays the cost.
But even when Germany fell to your hand
Consider dear lady, consider dear man
You left them their pride and you left them their land
And what have you done to these ones?

Has a change come about Uncle Sam?
Or are you still taking our lands
A treaty forever George Washington signed
He did dear lady, he did dear man
But the treaty’s being broken by Kinzua Dam
And what will you do for these ones?

Oh it’s all in the past you can say
But its still going on here today
The government now wants the Iroquois land
That of the Inuit & the Cheyenne
It’s here and it’s now you must help us dear man
Now that the buffalo’s gone

Copyright Gypsy Boy Music 1965

I love this majestic Bison where it stands in Moorhead overlooking this bland stretch of road rather close to bar watching the cars pass by and reminding us of the lost prairie. And as I was admiring it, a train happened to pass. (well, actually I came back and waited 20 minutes for a train so I could take this picture.) But still...it is haunting.