Love Letter

Painting by Jim Strong

Indian Love Letter


Lady of the crescent moon,
tonight I look at the sky;
you are not there.
You are not mad at me, are you?

You are "angry at the people,"
yes, I know;
they are changing,
be not too hard, for

if you were taken
to the mission school,
and not because you wanted,
but someone thought it best for you,
you too would change.

They came out of nowhere
telling us how to eat our food
how to build our homes
how to plant our crops.

Need I say more of what they did?
All is new--the old ways are nothing.
They are changing,
be not too hard.

I talk to them,
they turn their heads.
Do not be hurt--you have me.
I live by the old ways
I will not change.

Tonight--my prayer plumes in hand
with the white shell things--
to the silent place I will go
(it is for you I go, please be there.)

Oh! Lady of the crescent moon
with the corn-silk hair--I love you;
they are changing--
be not too hard.


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