I WROTE THIS AT 14, AFTER MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME OF HER GRANDFATHER TELLING OF SEEING THE BUFFALO, BODIES LITTERING THE PLAINS ROTTING IN THE SUN.

ACROSS THE PLAINS YOU DID WONDER.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE WERE FREE,

THE MIGHTY BUFFALO AND THE CHEROKEE.

MY DREAMS TAKE ME TO THE PLAINS SO WIDE,

THERE YOU LAY ROTTING WITHOUT YOUR HIDE.

IF WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN YOU O'NOBEL BEAST,

WE WOULD HAVE SUNG YOUR PRAISES AT OUR FEAST.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE LET YOU LAY ALONE,

UNTIL YOUR GREATNESS WAS ALL BUT GONE.

UPON YOUR FLESH WE DID EAT,

YOU CLOTHED MY FAMILY ,

YOU WARMED MY FEET.

IN MY DREAMS I HEAR YOUR THUNDER,

ACROSS THE PLAINS YOU DID WONDER.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE WERE FREE,