Songs From the Film

Songs From the Film

John B. drove the getaway car in one of those black and white
movies the reservation theater played years before it was filmed.

John B. was in the driver's seat of the '57 Chevy ,whistling
the last song the Spokane Indians invented, his fingers snapping
the first song across their own bones.

It happens that way: the body will not forget the rhythm of survival.
Drums, drums, drums.

John B. listened to his AM radio, the reservation station all-request
hour. He sang along with to every song, knew the face of every
Indian voice dreaming out loud.

"Come with me, wild and free, to the sea, the sea of love."

John B. closed his eyes and all over the reservation there was
the music of commodity cans, of dark skin moving over dark skin,
of children throwing rocks through windows, of the BIA truck
turning a sharp corner, of the skinny dog screaming in the dark,
of memory repeating itself like a scratched record.

"You will be mine, you will be mine, all mine
You will be mine, you will be mine, all mine."

In the bars, fancydancers change their minds, jump on the pool
tables and tear up the felt with their large shoes.

In the cities, Indian boys pull at their crew cuts until black
hair catches fire and grows longer with every change of pitch
in the wind.

In the trees, songs dance from pine to pine, from HUD house
to HUD house, from wood stove to microwave.

This one is dedicated to all of us: John B. was driving down
the longest highway in tribal history when he took his hands
off the wheel.

He was the first and last Skin to leave the road.


Sherman Alexie.........from Old Shirts & New Skins