Stay Small

Stay Small

Screams

Ringing shots

I fall to my knees in fear

Quickly, my arms fold over my head.

Then I remember the words,

“Stay small my little one. Stay small and you will be safe.”

Near, I hear her near.

I feel for my loved one in the gunpowder smoke.

Franticly groping through the veil of rancid stench of death

until our hands meet.

With a secure tug, I pull her shaking body close to mine.

“Stay small. I whispered in her ear. Stay small.”

I felt the whiff of wind

And I open my eyes.

To see

My dead family laying

Motionless on the ground.

I pulled her closer and said, “Crawl small. So, we won’t be seen.”

The prairie grasses

Scratched at our arms

The sand ground into our skins

As we inched our way unseen.

Words, “stay small” chanting in her heads.

Thunderous Gatling gun

Mowing my family down

Blank stares of the dead

Stare at me, as I gasp the words, “Stay small.”

Move on by and keep going.

Tears sucks up dust

And settles on my cheek.

As I hold my breath to not be seen.

Thudding boots pass me by,

“stay small so they won’t see.”

Grandma lay near,

I lift her apron

And placed you there.

A touch of your beautiful face,

“stay small so they won’t see you.”

Was the las thing I said to her.

One more chance,

One more to save.

A mad dash to lure them away was made.

A crack rang and a sting bit.

Soldier spoke, “Should have stayed small.”

From under her Grandmother’s apron

She peeked at her mother

Growing cold in the night.

Through the darkness she crawled small.

And stayed small for the rest of her life.

What is worse,

so did her children,

and their children,

and generations later,

A whole Nation stayed small.