Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SONG FOR A FALLEN WARRIOR, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SONG FOR A FALLEN WARRIOR, by                    
First Line: "o my son, farewell!"
Last Line: "beyond the broad river. / mai-ram-bo, mai-ram-bo"
Subject(s): Native Americans - Wars;war


O my son, farewell!
You have gone beyond the great river,
Your spirit is on the other side of the Sand Buttes;
I will not see you for a hundred winters;

You will scalp the enemy in the green prairie,
Beyond the great river.
When the warriors of the Blackfeet meet,
When they smoke the medicine-pipe and dance the war-dance,
They will ask, "Where is Isthumaka? --
Where is the bravest of the Mannikappi?"
He fell on the war-path.
Mai-ram-bo, mai-ram-bo.

Many scalps will be taken for your death;
The Crows will lose many horses;
Their women will weep for their braves,
They will curse the spirit of Isthumaka.

O my son! I will come to you
And make moccasins for the war-path,
As I did when you struck the lodge
Of the "Horse-Guard" with the tomahawk.
Farewell, my son! I will see you

Beyond the broad river.
Mai-ram-bo, mai-ram-bo.






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