They stamp the ground! They gash the ground! The long grass tickles their legs, their heels! They come in clattering swoops and reels! Beware their hoofs! Their pounding hoofs! Their hoofs will shatter your garden walk! Their pound will smother your cautious talk! They'll batter your red-geranium pot! They'll gut your cabbage and onion plot! The laughter beat! The echoing beat Ho, yo, ho! GOLD IN THE DESERT MORNING HYMN Thou holy White Shell! To the Mountain Sisnajinni He sendeth the sun's first glow, Blessings there glow upon me— Thither I go, Thither, O soul, O-ho, yo, yo! THE SMOKE PRAYER In the Land of the Dacotahs The voice of a youth crying, As it were a thin blue smoke Great Mystery, Do thou partake of this food And still be gracious; Make it unto me sinew of flesh, Sinew of arm and the strong heart! Thou who singest to the four winds And lo, they dancing, sing: Partake of this food and be thou gracious! O great sheet of blue sky, See me standing here, Hear me crying here! I have heard the voice of my fathers, I have recited the deeds of my fathers, I have done the commands of my fathersBe thou gracious, Unto me give the heart of my fathers! My limbs-they are the deer's I have not smoked the fragrant plant; O thou holy and great Mystery, Give unto me the heart of flint I have spoken with the straight tongue; I have spoken with my timber brothers; I have spoken with the sprig of sage. That my enemy find me valiant That thou find me reverent Before the east wind, Before the south wind, Before thee, O sheet of blue sky. Behold, I stand, My face uplifted, My hands up-raised, My soul in nakedness before thee! As it were a smoke ascending. I HAVE BUT ONE LOVE Pine tree, pine hearts, sigh ye; Day-long, death hunts my warrior- Truth-tree, I have but one love Hear-me! |