The 6th graders were asked to step into someone else’s shoes as they traveled back to 1851. They wrote "I Am" poems from the points of view of a Dakota and a newcomer.
They wrote "I Am" poems from the points of view of a Dakota and a newcomer.
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am a Dakota...I am a Newcomer
I hear chopping of axes...I hear the whites a coming
I see trees falling down...I see the land falling
I want the whites to leave...I want to farm
I am a freedom fighter...I am a farmer
I feel no sorrow for the white men...I feel no pain for Indians
I touch my children one more time...I touch the dead trees
I worry if we will make it out alive...I worry that I won’t make it
I cry for the land...I cry if we have to leave
I am thankful for the whites no more...I am happy for all the land
I understand we have to leave...I understand the Indians cry
I say let’s go...I say who cares
I dream we can stay...I dream this land is mine
I am a Dakota...I am a Newcomer
By: Colton Augustin
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I hear the voices of my tribe...I hear men working land
I see the roaming buffalo...I see all our new land
I want our land back...I want the Dakota to get out
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I feel sad for our tribe...I feel the pain of the Dakota
I touch the soft trees...I touch the smooth canoes
I worry about my family...I worry about our land
I cry about our animals...I cry about my family
I am a Dakota...I am a Newcomer
I understand my responsibilities...I understand my job
I say please don’t hurt...I say we can do it
I dream that we had more land...I dream we had all the land
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
By: Heidi Clement
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I hear dogs barking...I hear the wind
I see my land...I see our new land
I want the newcomers to leave...I want the land
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I feel my land...I feel nothing
I touch the air...I touch my new land
I worry for my land...I worry for nothing
I cry for my family...I cry for nothing
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I understand our way of life...I understand our new home
I say get off our lands...I say take the land
I dream to have my land back...I dream for land
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
By: Daniel Easterday
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am a Dakota Indian...I am a white man
I hear birds chirping...I hear the chopping of axes
I see white men...I see much riches
I want them to go away...I want the Indians land
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I feel like an outsider...I feel no regret
I touch the green grass...I touch the sharp axes
I worry about my tribe...I worry about my family
I cry for my family...I cry for no one
I am an Indian...I am a white man
I understand the ways of the wild...I understand the Indians suffering
I say what has happened...I say lets get rich
I dream about my future...I dream about Minnesota
I am an Indian...I am a white man
By: John Christensen
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am on of the special ones...I am a Newcomer
I hear the wind whistle...I hear the thud of axes
I see the grass move...I see the rolling hills
I want our land back...I want to be rich
I am a Dakota...I am an American
I feel the tree bark...I feel the plow handles
I touch the buffalo’s hide...I touch the prairie grass
I worry about the land...I worry about nothing
I cry for the land...I cry for nothing
I am a Dakota...I am an American
I understand the consequences...I understand what I’m doing
I say what is right...I say what I want
I dream of the perfect place...I dream of plowed farmlands
I am a Dakota...I am an American
By: Tyler Windschitl
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am Indian...I am a Newcomer
I hear people crying...I hear axes
I see their horses...I see rich land
I want to stay...I want to be rich
I am Indian...I am a Newcomer
I feel sad...I feel glad
I touch my land...I touch my family
I worry about my family...I worry they will die
I cry when I see white men...I cry when I see an Indian
I am Indian...I am a Newcomer
I understand I have to leave...I understand they are poor
I say no...I say yes
I dream I can stay...I dream of the future
I am Indian...I am a Newcomer
By: Dustin Ring
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am scared about the children...I am against the Dakota
I hear arguing between the families...I hear gun shots
I see animals running around...I see nothing though
I want peace...I want to see dead Dakota
I am nice to the newcomers...I am strong
I feel thankful...I feel angry
I touch the people’s skinny bodies...I touch their necks
I worry about our animals...I worry about the other newcomers
I am trying to be strong...I am an American
I understand everything...I understand that we will win
I say so be it...I say be dead Dakota
I dream of a world of peace...I dream I would take them over
I am an Indian...I am a fighter
By: Mariah Schumann
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am an Indian...I am a white man
I hear bad news...I hear good news
I see white people...I see Indians
I want them to leave...I want them to leave
I am proud to be an Indian...I am a white man
I fee sad...I feel happy
I touch my tipi...I touch new land
I worry about the animals...I worry about my family
I cry for my children...I cry they have to leave
I am an Indian...I am a white man
I understand we have to leave...I understand they have to leave
I say sign it...I say sign it
I dream we live somewhere better...I dream of my family
I am an Indian...I am a white man
By: Kevin Brandel
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am a Dakota...I am a European
I hear the rivers flowing...I hear the animals moaning
I see my people starving...I see the land
I want the white me to leave our land...I want to have my share
I am a Dakota...I am a farmer
I feel sad for my people...I feel sad for the Indians
I touch the land before me...I touch my crops
I worry for my family...I worry about the Indians
I cry for my people...I cry for the Indians
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I understand the land...I understand the U.S. wants the land
I say don’t destroy it...I say I want some of it
I dream the whites will leave...I dream I will have a large farm
I am a Dakota...I am a European
By: Ryan Wall
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I hear the wild animals...I hear my oxen
I see large grasslands...I see prairies
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I feel the rays of the sun...I feel the soft breeze
I touch the prairie grounds...I touch the tall grass
I worry for my lands...I worry for my life
I cry for my village...I cry for my family
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
I understand myself...I understand myself
I say make a treaty...I say I want lands
I dream for peace...I dream of my life
I am an Indian...I am a Newcomer
By: Brady Herrig
I Am a Dakota...I Am a Newcomer
I am a Dakota Indian...I am a white Newcomer
I hear white men...I hear others
I see the treaties...I see good land
I want peace...I want Dakota land
I am a Dakota Indian...I am a white Newcomer
I feel sad...I feel strength
I touch the grass...I touch the world land
I worry of myself...I worry of land
I cry for me...I cry for Dakota
I am a Dakota Indian...I am a white Newcomer
I understand the whites needs...I understand myself
I say get away...I say I want land
I dream of happiness...I dream of riches
I am a Dakota Indian...I am a white Newcomer
By: Bridget Thiessen