1. Denver Capitol
a chief from Wind River
gray sky, snow
like that gray November 29th
cold to the bone
served he said
ghosts swirl
21 years in the military
snowdance
his great-grandmother grandfather
cut down by Union Blue
cold
a daughter scooped a little boy
marauders
hid under a bank
to the bone
mutilators
chiefs with peace flags
walk toward the Blue
don’t shoot
crept out at night
to nurse at a still
tears in his eyes
red white and
stilled
151 years to the morning*
2. Dineh
If you fought in Ramadi
and Helmand
marine
across the world
you could meet
homeless
bobbingblue cop
on a Denver street
sooner than Mexican, you say, or
white
wagging his finger
eyes clear
wagging
***
h/t Dennis Gallagher, longtime Denver Councilman, City Auditor, and teacher of Greek and Latin at Regis, who also spoke at this gathering, wrote to me with an even now, startling detail which is added to this poem.