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The Indian's Retort
The white man's soul, it thirsts for gain,
He makes himself the slave of gold!
The Indian's free and boundless lands,
Once all his own, are bought and sold.
He makes himself the slave of gold!
The Indian's free and boundless lands,
Once all his own, are bought and sold.
An Indian to the forest went,
To strip the birch for his canoe;
His father's father's was the wood,
Before the White his country knew.
To strip the birch for his canoe;
His father's father's was the wood,
Before the White his country knew.
A weary journey he must take
Along a hot, and dusty road;
And to his distant wigwam bring,
Upon his back, the heavy load.
Along a hot, and dusty road;
And to his distant wigwam bring,
Upon his back, the heavy load.
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Long searched he for a fitting tree,
Where once they easy were to find;
The white man's axe had laid them low,
The white man's fire left few behind.
Where once they easy were to find;
The white man's axe had laid them low,
The white man's fire left few behind.
At length 'twas found; he stripped its bark,
He raised his bundle from the ground;
A white man stood beside him there,
And on the Indian sternly frowned.
He raised his bundle from the ground;
A white man stood beside him there,
And on the Indian sternly frowned.
“Thou steal'st!” “Thou art a thief!” he cried;—
The Indian threw his bundle down,
And proudly answered; as he turned
To meet the white man's angry frown;
The Indian threw his bundle down,
And proudly answered; as he turned
To meet the white man's angry frown;
“God made the woods, and to his sons,
The Indians, gave them long ago;
The Indian never was a thief,
I speak the truth, as thou dost know.”
The Indians, gave them long ago;
The Indian never was a thief,
I speak the truth, as thou dost know.”
“The White man came! he stole the woods,
The hills, the streams, the fields, the game;
The Indian never was a thief!
The white man steals, his is the name!”
The hills, the streams, the fields, the game;
The Indian never was a thief!
The white man steals, his is the name!”
Poem No. 593; c. 9 January 1847
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