“Violence happened on both sides,
Among the massacred
And those who did the killing—wide’s
The carnage that occurred.
“ ‘American carnage’ is the name
For what took place that day,
And all the history books exclaim
Our ‘greatness’ paved the way.
“Very fine people—let me state,
With words never oblique—
‘Pacified’ those civilians: ‘great’
What happened at Sand Creek.”
The loose-faced leader hemmed and hawed,
His words he finished speaking,
His followers stood gawking awed,
His affirmation seeking.
“We’ll hoop and holler as we like,
Just like an injun man,
White masculinity to spike,”
One said, “as white men can.”