Sonnet #224

Remember the Alamo, how the brave men died
But forget the reason they stood their ground
Forget how most came in great number and lied
About their conversion to the faith and found
Ruins of cultures wracked with newer diseases
And refugees of wars they care not remember
And burned the survivors in toil in the Missions
And shipped in their stolen souls for more embers
So the beautiful hills could be pushed under hoof
And haciendas and plantations and all free men
with the whip and the scythe could stand aloof
Until the distant capitol elected freedom from
free men, they rallied their rifles and rabbled and roused
And held unto death against lessers, brave and proud