The Legend of Cherokee Rose

My poem is after these photos and short write up.

I took these photos whilst holidaying in North Carolina. Above is the entrance to the Indian reservation in the Great Smokey Mountains in North Carolina, life is shown as it was before the Indian removal act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830.

Below is one of the rivers flowing through the mountains.

White Cherokee Rose found on the trail of tears, 

this image is from the internet,

The following poem was inspired by the persecution of the Cherokee Nation by the white settlers. They were displaced from their own lands and had to walk approximately 2200 miles from here, and neighbouring areas such as Georgia, to Oklahoma. This became known as the trail of tears where many died.

The Legend of Cherokee Rose

In the year of eighteen thirty,

White settlers wanted more land

Congress passed “the Indian removal act”

And so their displacement began.

From Georgia to Oklahoma

Lies “the trail where they cried”

The weather grew bad disease took hold,

Thousands of Cherokee Indians died.

Children perished along the way,

Mother hearts filled with grief,

Prayers for a sign to lift their spirits

Offered up by the five Indian chiefs.

Their prayers had been answered

To help lift the women folk soles,

For where a tear fell to the ground,

A beautiful rose did grow.

Five petals, for the five major clans,

A yellow centre for the unmined gold;

And so a legend was born,

The legend of Cherokee rose. 

© Julian Clarke 2016

Below shows the view looking down onto the morning mists floating over the mountain valley.