O Father

Whose Voice I Hear in the Winds
And whose breath gives life to the world
Hear me.

I am a man before you, One of your many children
I am small and weak.
I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty
and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunsets.
Make my hands respect the things you have made,
My ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may know the things
You have taught my people
The lessons you have hidden every leaf and rock

I seek strength,
gather not to be superior to my brothers,
but to be able to fight my worst enemy, myself.

Make me ever ready to come to you
with clean hands and a straigt eye,
so that when life fades as the fading sunset
My spirit may come to you without shame.

Ah Ho.

Tom White Cloud, IIM. C. Chippewa
1914-1972, AAIP Founding Member