Reservation Dogs
When the sun sets on the reservation,
We are left alone with our sorrows.
Our pockets are empty, our hearts are heavy
As we struggle to make sense of it all.
The wind howls through the canyons,
A mournful cry that echoes our pain.
We are birds with broken wings,
Trapped in this cage of poverty and despair.
But a spark of hope still flickers within,
A fire that refuses to die.
The promise of a new life in California,
A land of plenty and opportunity.
But the thought of leaving our home
Is like a knife twisting in our chest.
The land where our ancestors once roamed
Is etched into our very being.
We are torn between two worlds,
Two paths that lay before us.
Do we stay and hold onto the past,
Or do we take the leap and chase our dreams?
Only time will tell what fate has in store.
But for now, we’ll hold onto hope
And trust that the universe has a plan
For poor, broken birds on the reservation.
Written Response
This is my creative response to Reservation Dogs, a 2021 ongoing series written and produced by Taika Watiti and Sterlin Harjo. The series tackles societal issues faced by teenagers growing up on the reservation, but it does so with a great deal of hilarity and humor. I attempted to convey my feelings on the series in this poem, striving mainly to find a balance between the juxtaposition of serious issues and the mirth of the original series.
As for the series, it mainly follows its main characters, a band of four teens, the titular “Reservation Dogs.” This feeling of community and the importance of the relationships between the members of the team seemed like an integral part of the series for me. Therefore, I made the decision to write the poem with the narrator using “we” rather than “I” to refer to themselves.
In the poem, the narrator talks about having no money, feeling lonely, and having a heavy heart, which I felt could apply to any of the Dogs, as they are united in their condition. The narrator talks about being imprisoned, like a bird with damaged wings, attempting to make sense of their challenging situation. My intention was for this imagery to highlight the feelings of hopelessness and isolation that the narrator experiences.
A major theme of Reservation Dogs is the tension between the need for a better life and the attachment to one’s home and heritage, as well as the feeling of obligation to the community. All Dogs grapple with these questions over the course of the series and provide their perspectives, which are hopefully reflected in the poem. However, other than tackling these important but hard dilemmas, I ensured that the narrator still held out some sliver of optimism despite their difficulties. This is based on the inherent playfulness of the show, which is filled with jokes.
Overall, my goal when writing the poem was to explore the themes of loss, poverty, and the difficult decisions we must make in life, as they are showcased in Reservation Dogs. Despite the challenges they face, the narrator remains resilient and hopeful for the future. My hope is that their resilience is inspiring, as in the show, where there is always a ray of hope to cling to.