THE LAST WARRIOR
I often recall an old song
My granny sang long ago.
It brought tears to my eyes
As she sang soft and low.
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The melody was hauntingly sad
And the story it told was true,
About a lonely Indian brave
And the life that he once knew.
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He told about his homeland
Deep within a forest glade,
But only memories remained,
Memories that would never fade.
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He told of his loving parents
And of siblings, there were two,
They lived in peace and harmony
And of troubles, there were few.
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He fell in love with a maiden
And asked her to be his wife,
She bore him three children brave,
The pride of his young life.
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But then the white man came
With his canons and his guns
And took away all he had known
Including his three sons.
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Only he was left to tell the tale,
Broken, sad and all alone,
Ever looking skyward, yearning,
For the Great Spirit to call him home.
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All that he knew and loved
Rested beneath the cold clay,
For the guns of the white man
Came and took them all away.
©Lora Cox
Here are the words to the song as best my brother and I remember. I wish I could provide the music. But I can’t. You will just have to take my word that it was beautiful. Unless, perhaps, your granny sang it too. I would be very interested to know if you've heard this song.
Steels Of The White Man
Alas, said an Indian,
I once had a home,
In a deep forest glade,
Where the wild deer did roam.
Where the Shawnee feast,
On a festival day,
But the steels of the White Man,
Took it away.
~~~
I once had a mother,
Who watched o'er my youth,
And a father who taught me,
In the foot steps of truth.
But their spirit has vanished,
Beneath a corpse of clay,
For the steels of the white man,
Took them away.
~~~
I once had a sister,
The pride of the vale,
And a brother whose cheeks,
They were ruddy and pale,
And I'd often join them,
In innocent play,
But the steels of the White Man,
Took them away.
~~~
I once loved a maiden
With long raven hair
We had three children brave
So young and so fair,
But their spirit has vanished,
Beneath a corpse of clay,
For the steels of the white man,
Took them away.
~~~
I once had a family
But where are they now?
The cold winds of death
Have long since chilled their brow.
And their spirit has vanished,
Beneath a corpse of clay,
For the steels of the white man,
Took them away.
~~~
Oh, soon I shall follow,
The great spirits call
Away to that land,
Where the free never fall.
To that far and distant shore,
So far, so far, away,
Where the steels of the white man,
Can't take me away.
Author Unknown
Midi "Twist of Fate" is
used with permission
and is copyright © 2001 Bruce DeBoer
Graphic is from Native American Theme Page