Stronger Medicine

Ever stop to wonder how
you, white,

(in darkened, air-conditioned limousine)
addicted to Greed
for land, water, and ...

are connected to
them, red,

(in darker, damp gutter)
addicted to Lysol
without land, water, and ...?

Your greed
their destitution:

deadly, ancient poisons
seriously crippling your commonbody
the broken common Body

needing much more powerful, free, lasting

Spirit medicine

than the white man's latest, always-expensive, quick-fix

Gun medicine

could ever offer you them any of us!

Leonard Desroches was born in Penetanguishene, Ontario, which is Ojibure for "Land of the White Rolling Sands." He worked with the Lubicon Indians in their blockade for just land claims in 1988.

This appears in the January 1991 issue of Sojourners