THE BLACK ROBES

AS I SIGN FAREWELL MY KINDRED,

THE SKY IS GROWING DARKER AND DARKER.

I CURSE THE CLACK AND CLATTER, OF THE TURNING WHEELS.

UPWARD, I LIFT MY EYE
OH GREAT SPIRIT, HEAR MY CRIES!

I WILL REMEMBER THIS DAY FOREVER!

THE COMMING OF THE ONES WE CALL,

"THE BLACK ROBES".


MY DESTINY?

NEVERMORE TO HEAR, MY FATHERS'WORDS?

"COME CLOSER, NEAR THE FIRE,

JOIN OUR CIRCLE,

MY LITTLE BRAVE BEAR".


THE GATHERING, DARK GRAY CLOUDS,

THE CLACK AND CLATTER,

OH SO LOUD,

THE SADNESS,IN THE EYES OF MY MOTHER.

REFLECTIONS OF THE STORM,

NOW BREWING IN MY OWN HEART.

ABOVE THE CROW CAWS,

I HEAR THE WAILS OF,LITTLE BIRD SONG.

TOO SOON, SHE WILL BE GIVEN A NEW NAME.

BUT I,WILL NOT FORGET OUR WAYS!

I WILL NOT FORGET THESE DARKENING DAYS!


THE THUNDER CRACKS,

AND FIRE FLIES,

FROM THE HAND OF THE MAN,

WHO WILL TAKE US TO THE ONES WE CALL,

"THE BLACK ROBES".

LITTLE BIRD SONGS'SAD LAMENT,

SPEAKS THE DEATH CHANT OF MY OWN HEART.

THE HUNTING AND THE GATHERING,

THE HERDING, OF MY KINDRED.

DYING,

YET ANOTHER BUFFALO,LYING IN THE RUT BEHIND.

THE CLACK AND CLATTER OF THIS PRISON ,

PULLED, BY TETHERED BEAST.

MY HEART,

THEIR SPIRIT,

TOGETHER BEG RELEASE.

GREAT SPIRIT, I KNOW YOU WEEP,

FOR THESE MY PEOPLE.

AT THE MERCY OF THE ONES,

WE CALL,

THE BLACK ROBES.


THE BLACK ROBES...THE MISSIONARIES,WHO HUNTED,GATHERED,AND TOOK AWAY THE NATIVE AMERICANS' CHILDREN.TOOK TO MISSION SCHOOLS,TO "CIVILIZE"THEM.THE RELIGION,LANGUAGE,CULTURE AND HERITAGE,BECAME ALMOST OBSOLETE,ASIT WAS FORBIDDEN.SOME OF US TODAY(SELF INCLUDED)ARE NOT CERTAIN TO WHAT EXTENT OUR BLOODLINES RUN AS A RESULT OF THIS "CIVILIZATION"