For centuries by the millions they roamed the grassy plains
Tatonka they were called, sacred, powerful, revered

This mighty Bison beast.

Hunted by the plains Indians
Hides for shelter and clothing, bones for tools and weapons

Meat for food to get them through the winter

And provide the hunting feast.

As the white man headed west, Buffalo they were called
By the thousands, they were slaughtered for their hides
Some were shot for sport and left on the plains die.

Hunted nearly to extinction

The massive herds destroyed, leaving few to carry on
The plains flourished with prairie grass growing tall and strong.

With grass abundant cattle ranches began to spread
And pushed the land to its limit, with cattle to be fed

The greed of the big ranches and cattle companies caused overgrazing
Of the range and the once abundant prairie began to forever change.

In 1886 the winter came fast and strong

Bringing a blizzard with deep snow and drifts
Covering the land like a vast white lake
Leaving cattle hungry, defenseless and dying in the winter's furious wake.

That winter cattle died by the thousands bringing vast financial loss
Greed and overgrazing had paid its final cost

One can't help but wonder why God and nature had to deal
The ranchers and cattle such a deadly blow.

Perhaps it wasn't God or nature
But the revenge of

THE BUFFALO

R.K. O'Neil Jr. ©2005