They Were There

They were there in the beginning 20 million years ago.
They were there as food for the first Americans who ate them to extinction.
They were there for the Spanish Conquistadors who first settled here.
They were there for the countless pioneers who plowed, moved their goods and traveled with them.
They were there for the first Americans again to hunt buffalo.
They were there for the army to hunt Indians.
They were there for us in World War 1 and countless of them were shipped overseas for our allies.
They were there for the dogs of America that ate them in cans of dog food.
They were there for the rodeo's, the cow boys, and the movies.
They were there as the symbol on an American automobile.
They were there as the very symbols of Americans freedom.
They were there on their land and we took them for our use and greed, until,
They were there no more.