Terminal Nostalgia by Sherman Alexie

Terminal Nostalgia

The music of my youth was much better

Than the music of yours. So was the weather.

Before Columbus came, eagle feathers

Detached themselves for us. So did the weather.

During war, the country fought together

Against all evil. So did the weather.

The cattle were happy to be leather

And made shoes that fit. So did the weather.

Before Columbus came, eagle feathers

Were larger than eagles. So was the weather.

Every ball game was a double-header.

Mickey Mantle was sober. So was the weather.

Before Adam and Eve, an Irish Setter

Played fetch with God. So did the weather.

Before Columbus came, eagle feathers

Married Indians. So did the weather.

Indians were neither loaners nor debtors.

Salmon was our money. So was the weather.

Back then, people wrote gorgeous letters

And read more poetry. So did the weather.

On all issues, there was only one dissenter,

But we loved him, too. So did the weather.

Before Columbus came, eagle feathers

Gave birth to eagles. So did the weather.

We all apprenticed to wise old mentors

And meditated for days. So did the weather.

We were guitar-players and inventors

Of minor chords and antibiotics. So was the weather.

Every person lived near the city center

And had the same income. So did the weather.

Before Columbus, eagle feathers

Lived in the moment. So did the weather.