Maiden's Song

Painting by Jim Strong


Maiden's Song


In the dawn,
the Running in the dawn,
she wears long loops of turquoise in her ears,
long loops of the sky-blue beads.
Around her neck beads of white shell.
On her arms braceletsd of silver,
bracelets with turquoise.
On her fingers rings of silver and turquoise.
On her feet moccasins of red buckskin
with silver buttons.
Her dress is velvet above, and blue;
her dress is full below, and brown.
She sewed her dress in her mother's hogan.
She made ready for the Running at dawn.
She washed her hair; she brushed her hair
and tied it with white yarn.
She has learned to make fine blankets;
good blankets, like her mother.
She owns many sheep and goats.
A brave man comes from the People.
There is a marriage ceremony
and he takes her to a new hogan,
with her sheep and her goats,
with her blanket sticks,
with her silver and sky-colored stones.
In the new hogan there is beauty.
There is beauty.
There is beauty.

(Navajo Song)