Chrystos’s poem represents the frustration of Native Americans deeply ingrained in the history of abuse and unequal treaties applied to Native American tribes throughout American history. The interesting thing about the poem is that it treats American society as a foreign invader, and views it as a menacing threat to an acceptable way of life. From the perspective of an American, we are meant to read the poem and reconsider ourselves from outside our own enculturation, and thus reexamine the way we often treat immigrants with the same disdain. From the perspective of a lamenting Native American who is aware of the abuse inflicted on their people throughout history, this poem may be a welcome opportunity to express centuries of anger through literature. The last line “take these words back with you” seem to express a desire for all people to be aware of where they live and whose land they live on.