III SPIRIT SONGS

Each time I behold her again I am lost in wonder.... Is her beauty but for a season, like that of the rose? Are we men but as the drunken butterflies? A hundred comely women are in her eyes, Where she stands in the midst of life.... She is the daughter of many tribes, She is the mother of many tribes.... Of what use to me are eyes? Ears only I need—— For her voice I am listening.

Now he wears sunflowers in his hair, And dances all day long toward the Sun, nodding.... They say that he was a brave youth, and sensible, Until he dreamed about the Sun. My mind is like a fitful wind among the fallen leaves.... It gathers them ... and lets them drop.... It turns them ... and lets them drop....

On mighty pinions flying, The Bird of War, the Bird of War! I shout to the skies! In triumph I shout!... The hollow sky answers me back.... Men live not forever, Men battle and die.... Like eagles their souls ascend the hollow sky. The warriors pass, The young men pass.... In his place I cannot see him.... In the night I hear him crying, In the night I hear him pleading.... The spirit stars are rising.... When they dug up my bones they painted them red.... Red was upon my body when I died; I cannot forget how it was when I died.

The playthings of children.... they laugh and they pretend, their voices are unconcerned and happy.... The fallen feathers of birds amuse them,—— even to the slightest touch the caterpillar is very sensitive.... They amuse themselves, too, with the round smooth object which they roll over the ground, pretending.... There is a scar upon it, where the knife struck when the hair was torn away.... The playthings of children.... they talk unconcernedly, they laugh, they pretend....

It is only crying about myself that comes to me in song, It is only tears.... When the young men go by, happy, When the young girls go by, happy, I seem to see someone with them.... How lifelike is a lock of hair when all the body is decayed!

Her robe is broidered with white daisies; Her hair is braided with blue feathers; On her little feet are new moccasins. Ah, she was near to me! Ah, she was dear to me! On her little feet are new moccasins. The grass is broidered with white daisies; Bluebirds in the air are hovering low; Between earth and sky, the burial scaffold. On her little feet are new moccasins.

Rain in the face—— Rain in the face—— The world is gray with falling waters, The world is sad with falling tears.... Alone I walked, questioning Father Sky,—— Alone—— seeking to divine the cause of Sorrow.... They named me Rain-in-the-Face....

I am running a swift race: My body is painted with the symbols of swiftness; In my hair are the plumes of swift-flying birds; Tight-clasped, I hold in my hand a charm. Who is he who is running beside me? His shadow is purple and very angry; His shadow is very swift; I dare not look about. Something scarlet is bobbing before my eyes—— Something which I should remember.... Is it a beautiful flower? Or is it ... something which I should remember? The goal is a gleaming mountain: Before I can touch it I must cross a dark canyon, I must cross the purple shadows of deep earth.

I would look upward, with open eyes, singing!

Let it be beautiful when I sing the last song—— Let it be day! I would stand upon my two feet, singing! I would look upward with open eyes, singing! I would have the winds to envelope my body; I would have the sun to shine upon my body; The whole world I would have to make music with me! Let it be beautiful when thou wouldst slay me, O Shining One! Let it be day when I sing the last song!

The Dreams are walking, walking, The Dreams are walking beside me—— Ah hay ay, hay ay ay ay ay.... I hear them rustling the withered grasses, I hear them stirring the fallen leaves—— Ah hay ay, ay ay ay ay.... Very faint are their footfalls, Very soft are their whispering voices—— Ah hay ay, hay ay ay ay ay.... All their touches are caresses—— Ah hay ay, ay ay ay ay.... O come to me, touch me with tenderness! O come to me when my heart is desolate! Ah hay ay, hay ay ay ay ay.... Come walking beside me, Come walking in beauty—— Ah hay ay, ay ay ay ay....