38 Blog

I thought that the poem was really interesting. In the poem, the author, Layli Long Soldier, sheds light on the deaths of the 38 Dakota men and the struggles the Dakota had to deal with, something that seems like an important event but is rarely mentioned in modern day media. Many people see Abraham Lincoln as a savior and a hero to the United States, but his actions in the Dakota 38 reveals that even Lincoln has his flaws.

The poem is written in an unconventional style, varying hugely from traditional poems. The poem seems informal, as Long Soldier gives insight in the format of the poem and the tone of the poem seems as if she was talking about the events rather than writing about it. I find it interesting how throughout the poem, after Long Soldier discusses the language we use, she spells Minnesota as Mnisota. I also find the style of the ending of the poem interesting, as the formatting of the text makes it seem like the words are doing what they are; swing, from the platform out to the grass.

In the poem, Long Soldier uses the phrase “everything is in the language that we use.” She uses this phrase as she discusses the origin of the name Minnesota, which roughly translates to turbid water, and defines what a treaty is. Doing so gives the events of the Dakota 38 a sense of irony. For example, Long Soldier defines a treaty as a contract between two sovereign nations. The Minnesota treaties were contracts that promised the Dakota money, but they did not receive any money, as the “turbid treaties” promised.