Marty Stuart - Old Man's Vision lyrics
[Marty Stuart - Old Man's Vision lyrics]
There was an esteemed Lakota elder
A man of visions, who laid dying at his home
Surrounded by his family and friends
His journey on this earth was
Fast coming to an end
One by one, they touched his hands
Stroked his silver hair
Sang him songs and kissed him on his brow
His mind wandered between this
World and the unseen
Some thought it was the fever talking
But his sister, knowing his gift of visions
Summoned the Medicine man to come
And pray for his comfort
And to listen to his words
When he arrived
The elder asked the Holy Man
To bring him his pipe
A family member handed the
Medicine Man his pipe
And he granted the dying man's request
When he placed it in his arms
He closed his eyes and softly whispered
"Twenty years from this day
I see blood and countless tears
Flowing across the ground of Wounded Knee
It is not clear to me why
So many people will die
Not only our warriors, but our women
Our children
The young and the old, even the four leggeds
They too will be murdered
All will be buried as one
In an icy cold grave
There will be no punishment to
The murders of our people
Only the dreams they see at
Night will be their torture
And their sentence of shame
This is my vision
My time has now come and I
Have but one final request
When I draw my last breath
Take me to Wounded Knee, and bury me there
For it is there that I wish
For my spirit to linger
Long enough to warn the others
Of this great tragedy that our future holds"
A man of visions, who laid dying at his home
Surrounded by his family and friends
His journey on this earth was
Fast coming to an end
One by one, they touched his hands
Stroked his silver hair
Sang him songs and kissed him on his brow
His mind wandered between this
World and the unseen
Some thought it was the fever talking
But his sister, knowing his gift of visions
Summoned the Medicine man to come
And pray for his comfort
And to listen to his words
When he arrived
The elder asked the Holy Man
To bring him his pipe
A family member handed the
Medicine Man his pipe
And he granted the dying man's request
When he placed it in his arms
He closed his eyes and softly whispered
"Twenty years from this day
I see blood and countless tears
Flowing across the ground of Wounded Knee
It is not clear to me why
So many people will die
Not only our warriors, but our women
Our children
The young and the old, even the four leggeds
They too will be murdered
All will be buried as one
In an icy cold grave
There will be no punishment to
The murders of our people
Only the dreams they see at
Night will be their torture
And their sentence of shame
This is my vision
My time has now come and I
Have but one final request
When I draw my last breath
Take me to Wounded Knee, and bury me there
For it is there that I wish
For my spirit to linger
Long enough to warn the others
Of this great tragedy that our future holds"