Alas, alas, said the Indian, I once had a home,
And a fair forest too,- where the wild deer cold roam,
Where the Sachem could feast on the festival day, (*)
But the steel of the white man has swept them away, has swept them away.
I once, I once had a father who watched o'er my youth,
And a mother who taught me the precepts of truth,
But their spirits have vanished, and cold is their clay,
For the steel of the white man has swept them away.
I once, I once had a sister, the pride of the vale,
And a brother whose features were ruddy and hale,
Who often would join me in innocent play,
But the steel of the white man has driven them away.
And now, and now, where's each warrior, each chieftain, and brave,
Who fought with such valor, their country to save
Why! the last dying echo was heard in dismay.
For the steel of the white man has swept them away, has swept them away.
And I, and I stand alone as the last of my race
Upon this earth I feel I no more have a place
Since my home, friends, and kindred are driven away
For the steel of the white man, has swept them away.
And I, and I must soon follow, the Great Spirit calls
Me away to the land where the brave never falls, -
To the bright blissful shores, and the fair forest shade,
Where the steel of the while man will never invade.
And a fair forest too,- where the wild deer cold roam,
Where the Sachem could feast on the festival day, (*)
But the steel of the white man has swept them away, has swept them away.
I once, I once had a father who watched o'er my youth,
And a mother who taught me the precepts of truth,
But their spirits have vanished, and cold is their clay,
For the steel of the white man has swept them away.
I once, I once had a sister, the pride of the vale,
And a brother whose features were ruddy and hale,
Who often would join me in innocent play,
But the steel of the white man has driven them away.
And now, and now, where's each warrior, each chieftain, and brave,
Who fought with such valor, their country to save
Why! the last dying echo was heard in dismay.
For the steel of the white man has swept them away, has swept them away.
And I, and I stand alone as the last of my race
Upon this earth I feel I no more have a place
Since my home, friends, and kindred are driven away
For the steel of the white man, has swept them away.
And I, and I must soon follow, the Great Spirit calls
Me away to the land where the brave never falls, -
To the bright blissful shores, and the fair forest shade,
Where the steel of the while man will never invade.
(*) Il termine Sachem - d'origine algonchina - fu impiegato da numerose tribù di nativi nordamericani delle aree del Nord-Est per indicare i loro capi. (it.wikipedia)
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2017/11/17 - 10:23
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Parole e musica di J. W. Hutchinson
Arrangiamento di Edward Little White
Canzone pubblicata a Boston dall’editore musicale Stephen W. Marsh
Testo trovato su Protest Song Lyrics