Ojibway Lovers

Ojibway Lovers


1.
The Brave to the Maiden

Awake! flower of the forest,
sky-treading bird of the prairie.
Awake! Awake!
wonderful fawn-eyed One.

When you look upon me I am satisfied,
as flowers that drink dew.
The breath of your mouth
is the fragerance of flowers in the morning,
your breath is their fragerance
at evening in the moon-of-fading-leaf.
Do not the red streams of my veins
run toward you as forest streams in the sun
in the moon of bright nights?

When you are beside me
my heart sings; a branch it is,
dancing, dancing before the Wind-spirit
in the moon of strawberries.
When you frown upon me, beloved,
my heart grows dark--a shining river
the shadows of clouds darken, then
with your smiles comes the sun
and makes to look like gold furrows
the cold wind drew in the water's face.
Myself!
The waters smile--
even the sky-of-clouds smiles--
but I, I lose the way of smiling
when you are not near.

Awake! Awake! my beloved.

2.
The Maiden to the Brave


My love is tall and graceful as the young pine
waving on the hill, and as swift
in his course as the noble, stately deer;
his hair is flowing,
and dark as the blackbird that floats
through the air, and his eyes,
like the eagle's, both piercing and bright;
his heart, it is fearless and great,
and his arm, it is strong in the fight,
as this bow made of ironwood
which he easily bends. His aim is as sure
in the fight and chase, as the hawk,
which never misses its prey.

Ah, aid me, ye spirits!
of water and earth, and of sky,
while I sing in his praise,
and my voice shall be heard,
it shall ring through the sky,
and echo, repeating the same,
shall cause it to swell
in the breadth of the wind;
and his fame shall be spread
throughout the land,
and his name shall be known
beyond the lakes.


(Ojibway Song)