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Fire-Fly Song
OJIBWA
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Flitting white-fire insects!
Wandering small fire beasts!
Wave little stars about my bed!
Weave little stars into my sleep!
Come, little dancing white-fire bug,
Come, little flitting white-fire beast!
Light me with your white-flame magic,
Your little star-torch.
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Her Lover Sees her in a Dream and,
Going to Search for Her, Sings
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From the ABANAKI
Songs of parted lovers
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Come, my beloved, let us go up that shining mountain,
and it together on that shining mountain; there we will
watch the Sun go down in beauty from the shining place.
There we will sit, till the Night Traveler arises in beauty
about the shining mountain; we will watch him as he
climbs to the beautiful skies.
We will watch the little Stars follow their chief.
We will also watch the Northern Lights playing their game
of ball in their cold, glistening country.
There we will sit, on the beautiful mountain, and listen to
the Thunder beating his drum.
We will see the flashes from the lit pipe of the Lightning.
We will see the great Whirlwind race with Squall.
There we will sit until all creatures drowse.
There we will hear the great Owl sing his usual song:
"Go-to-sleep-all," and see all animals obey his call.
There we will sit in beauty on the mountain, and watch
the small Stars in their sleepless flight.
They do not mind the song, "go-to-sleep-all"; neither will
we mind it, but sit more closely together, and think of
nothing but ourselves, on the beautiful mountain.
Again, the "go-to-sleep-all" will be heard, and the Night
Traveler will come closer to warn us that all are sleeping,
except ourselves and the little Stars.
They and their chief are coursing along, and our minds
go
with them.
Then the Owl sleeps; no more is heard "go-to-sleep-all";
the Lightnings flash afar; the great pipe is going out;
the Thunder ceases beating his drum; and though our bodies
urge us to be sleeping, we sit in beauty still upon the
shining mountain.
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From: American Indian Poetry
Interpretations |
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