Read an Excerpt
NATIVE AMERICAN POETRY
By George W. Cronyn Dover Publications, Inc.
Copyright © 2006 Dover Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-486-12098-0
CHAPTER 1
SONGS FROM THE EASTERN WOODLANDS
THE PARTED LOVERS
ABANAKI
I
THE MAN SINGS
My parents think they can separate me from the girl I love;
We have vowed to love each other while we live.
Their commands are vain: we shall see each other while the world lasts.
Yes! let them say or do what they like; we shall see each other while the rocks stand.
THE WOMAN SINGS
Here I sit on this point, whence I can see the man that I love.
Our people think that they can sever us; but I shall see him while the world lasts.
Here shall I remain, in sight of the one I love.
II
THE GIRL DESERTED BY HER JEALOUS COMPANIONS SINGS
Now I am left on this lonely island to die-
No one to hear the sound of my voice.
Who will bury me when I die?
Who will sing my death-song?
My false friends leave me here to die alone;
Like a wild beast, I am left on this island to die.
I wish the wind spirit would carry my cry to my love!
My love is swift as the deer; he would speed through the forest to find me.
Now I am left on this lonely island to die.
I wish the wind spirit would carry my cry to my love!
My love is as swift as the deer; he would speed through the forest to find me;
Now I am left on this lonely island to die.
I wish the spirit of air would carry my breath to my love.
My love's canoe, like sunlight, would shoot through the water to my side;
But I am left on this lonely island to die, with no one to pity me but the little birds.
My love is brave and strong; but, when he hears my fate, his heart will break.
And I am on this lonely island to die.
Now the night comes on, and all is silent but the owl.
He sings a mournful song to his mate, in pity for me.
I will try to sleep.
I wish the night spirit to hear my song; he will tell my love of my fate; and when I awake, I shall see the one I love.
I am on this lonely island to die.
III
HER LOVER SEES HER IN A DREAM AND, GOING TO SEARCH FOR HER, SINGS
Come, my beloved, let us go up that shining mountain, and sit together on that shining mountain; there we will watch the Sun go down in beauty from that shining place.
There we will sit, till the Night Traveler arises in beauty about the shining mountain; we will watch him as he climbs to the beautiful skies.
We will also watch the little Stars following their chief.
We will also watch the Northern Lights playing their game of ball in their cold, glistening country.
There we will sit, on the beautiful mountain, and listen to the Thunder beating his drum.
We will see the flashes from the lit pipe of the Lightning.
We will see the great Whirlwind race with Squall.
There we will sit, until all creatures drowse.
There we will hear the great Owl sing his usual song: "Go-to-sleep-all," and see all animals obey his call.
There we will sit in beauty on the mountain, and watch the small Stars in their sleepless flight.
They do not mind the song, "go-to-sleep-all"; neither will we mind it, but sit more closely together, and think of nothing but ourselves, on the beautiful mountain.
Again, the "go-to-sleep-all" will be heard, and the Night Traveler will come closer to warn us that all are sleeping, except ourselves and the little Stars.
They and their chief are coursing along, and our minds go with them.
Then the Owl sleeps; no more is heard "go - to - sleep - all"; the Lightnings flash afar; the great pipe is going out; the Thunder ceases beating his drum; and though our bodies urge us to be sleeping, we sit in beauty still upon the shining mountain.
VENGEANCE SONG
MICMAC
Death I make, singing
Heh-yeh! heh-yeh! heh-yeh! heh-yeh!
Bones I hack, singing
Heh-yeh! heh-yeh! heh-yeh! heh-yeh!
Death I make, singing!
Heh-yeh! heh-yeh! heh-yeh! heh-yeh!
IROQUOIS RITUAL OF FIRE AND DARKNESS
The members of the Ho-no-tci-no-ga Society assemble. Now the Med-icine Doctor or Shaman casts the sacred tobacco on the medicineblaze, and in a low voice he chants:
Great Spirit who puts us to sleep in darkness,
We thank thee for the silences of darkness.
(Singer)
Now I ask blessing and make prayers.
(He sprinkles sacred tobacco on the fire.
Then he speaks to the Invisible:)
Now I give you tobacco,
You, the great Darkness!
(To the Thunder Spirit)
Now we act as we offer you tobacco!
You love it most of all offerings.
With it you will hear us better
And not tire of our talking
But love us with all power
Beyond all treasures
Or spreading of words through the air!
All men traveling under great heaven
You have invited, your grandchildren and all nations;
Oh you, maker of noise,
You, the great Thunderer!
Your grandchildren wish to thank you!
All your grandchildren have asked me
To offer this tobacco upon the mountain to you!
(Speaking to the Great Spirit)
You the All-maker,
Above-all-high
Best Friend of people!
We ask you to help us!
We implore your favor!
I have spoken.
The lights are extinguished, leaving the assembly in total darkness. The Watcher of the Medicine uncovers the bundles, exposing it to the air, and as he does so a faint luminous cloud hovers over the table and disappears. Now the Chanter gives the signal and the 'members sing:
THE CHANT OF DARKNESS
Wait here in the darkness!
Come, all you who listen,
Go the magic journey:
Now the sky is empty
Of all sun-and-star-shine;
Come, we lose our footing.
Night no friend of ours is;
She has shut her eyelids.
Moon who has forgotten
Lets us wait in darkness!
Now the chiefs take their rattles, shaking them softly as the Chanter sings and members of the clan give the whip- poor-will cry.
THE CHANT OF INVITATION TO THE WHIP-POOR-WILL TOTEM
(Chorus)
Thus sings the Whip-poor-will,
Follow me, follow me!
Thus speaks the Chief to him,
Yes, I will follow you!
Lo! the night darkening
Stalks through the shadow-land;
No light to beckon us
Murmurs the waterfall,
Thus sings the river-voice!
Someone is nearing us,
Creeping upon us close,
Two fires of eyes are close
Lighting the forest path—
Hear how his breath blows by!
Fol-low me, fol-low me,—
So sings the whip-poor-will!
Yes, I am following—
Thus the Chief answers him.
Cries announce that the Wolf and his mate have entered the room.
Hark the trees whispering
Bend their old bodies low,
Not the strong North Wind's hand
Nay, but One great and swift
Parts them with whistling breath!
Hark! how the thickets snap!
Fearless the footfalls pass
Pushing the trees apart!
Great horns dividing them.
(Again the Whip-poor-will chorus)
Now Buck and Doe, with cries, enter. The song continues:
How I go shivering!
No snow is falling now,
Where hides the sun his fire?
Something swift-footed comes
Roaring and warning me!
Eyes of the night it blinds,
Falling like heavy mist!
Now it creeps close to me,
Warning and beckoning
Where the black forest looms.
(Whip-poor-will chorus)
The Bear and his mate have come and the song goes on:
How the wind whistles now!
No one dares race with it.
Great trees bend low to it,
Rivers fight back to it,
Roaring and splashing it!
Hear how its strong wings beat
Deep in the gusty sky!
High through the night it flies
Whistling and screaming, still
Hunting the prey that runs!
(Whip-poor-will chorus)
The Hawk and its mate are announced. Then rites symbolizing the dangers of the forest tangles and swampy horrors are performed. According to, the legend Eagle must dismiss the meeting. His coming, which is imitated on the small flute, announces the day. As the dawn-light penetrates the ceremonial place the last chorus is chanted of
THE EAGLE
Deep the dew-water falls
No one comes close to me!
Where are you, Whip-poor-will?
Why am I waiting now
Calling you, calling you?
Screaming the night away
With his great feathers spread
Catching the darkness up
I hear the Eagle-bird
Pulling the blanket back
From the east, sleeping still.
How swift he flies, bearing the sun to the morning;
See how he perches there on the trail of the east-sky.
Whip-poor-will, Wliip-poor-will,
No more I follow thee!
When night springs up again
Will you cry, "Follow me?"
The singing ends and the matrons bring in food and distribute it to all.
FIRE-FLY SONG
OJIBWA
Flitting white-fire insects!
Wandering small-fire beasts!
Wave little stars about my bed!
Weave little stars into my sleep!
Come, little dancing white-fire bug,
Come, little flitting white-fire beast!
Light me with your white-flame magic,
Your little star-torch.
CALLING-ONE'S-OWN
OJIBWA
Awake ! flower of the forest, sky-treading bird of the prairie.
Awake ! awake ! wonderful fawn-eyed One.
When you look upon me I am satisfied; as flowers that drink dew.
The breath of your mouth is the fragrance of flowers in the morning,
Your breath is their fragrance at evening in the moon-of-fading-leaf.
Do not the red streams of my veins run toward you
As forest-streams to the sun in the moon of bright nights?
When you are beside me my heart sings; a branch it is, dancing,
Dancing before the Wind-spirit in the moon of strawberries.
When you frown upon me, beloved, my heart grows dark—
A shining river the shadows of clouds darken,
Then with your smiles comes the sun and makes to look like gold
Furrows the cold wind drew in the water's face.
Myself! behold me! blood of my beating heart.
Earth smiles—the waters smile—even the sky-of-clouds smiles—but I,
I lose the way of smiling when you are not near,
Awake ! awake ! my beloved.
OJIBWA WAR SONGS
I
Hear my voice, Birds of War!
I prepare a feast for you to feed on;
I see you cross the enemy's lines;
Like you I shall go.
I wish the swiftness of your wings;
I wish the vengeance of your claws;
I muster my friends;
I follow your flight.
Ho, you young men warriors,
Bear your angers to the place of fighting!
II
From the south they came, Birds of War-
Hark! to their passing scream.
I wish the body of the fiercest,
As swift, as cruel, as strong.
I cast my body to the chance of fighting.
Happy I shall be to lie in that place,
In that place where the fight was,
Beyond the-enemy's line.
III
Here on my breast have I bled!
See—see! these are fighting-scars!
Mountains tremble at my yell!
I strike for life.
LOVE-SONG
WINNEBAGO
Whomsoe'er look I upon
He becomes love-crazed;
Whomsoe'er speak I unto,
He becomes love-crazed;
Whomsoe'er whisper I to,
He becomes love-crazed;
All men who love women,
Them I rule, them I rule,
My friend;
Whom I touch, whom I touch,
He becomes love-crazed.
HOLY SONG
WINNEBAGO
(Saith the Spirit,
"Dream, oh, dream again,
And tell of me,
Dream thou!")
Into solitude went I
And wisdom was revealed to me.
(Saith the Spirit,
"Dream, oh, dream again,
And tell of me,
Dream thou!")
Let the whole world hear me,
Wise am I!
(Now saith the Spirit,
"Tell of me,
Dream thou!")
All was revealed to me;
From the beginning
Know I all, hear me!
All was revealed to me!
(Now saith the Spirit,
"Tell of me,
Dream thou!")
SACRED MIDÉ SONGS
OJIBWA
Drifting snow,
why do I sing?
The Sun and Moon,
Their bodies
shine over the world
unto me as unto you, my Midé
friend.
SONGS OF THE CHIPPEWA
HEALING SONG
They are in close consultation
with their heads together
Wenabojo
and his grandmother.
LOVE-CHARM
What are you saying to me?
I am arrayed like the roses
and beautiful as they.
I AM WALKING
Toward calm and shady places
I am walking
on the earth.
THEY THINK ME UNWORTHY
They think me unworthy
my Midé brethren
but look and see
the length of my wigwam.
THE SOUND IS FADING AWAY
The sound is fading away
It is of five sounds
freedom
The sound is fading away
It is of five sounds.
DOCTOR'S SONG
I am singing and dreaming in my poor way
over the earth
I who will again disembark
upon earth.
SONG OF THE TREES
The wind
only
I am afraid of.
SONG OF THE THUNDERS
Sometimes
I go about pitying
myself
while I am carried by the wind
across the sky.
THE APPROACH OF THE STORM
From the half
of the sky
that which lives there
is coming, and makes a noise.
I AM AFRAID OF THE OWL
Very much
also
I
of the owl
am afraid
whenever I am sitting alone
in the wigwam.
I AM AS BRAVE AS OTHER MEN
Men who are brave and heroic
as you esteem them to be
Like them
I also
consider myself to be.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from NATIVE AMERICAN POETRY by George W. Cronyn. Copyright © 2006 Dover Publications, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Dover Publications, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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