The Talking Leaves lyrics

Sequoia's winters were sixteen

Silent tongue spirit clean

He walked at his father's side

Across the smoking battle ground

Where red and white men lay all around

So many here had died

The wind had scattered around

Snow white leaves upon the ground

Not leaves like leaves from trees.

Sequoia said what can this be

What's the strange thing here I see

From where come leaves like these

Sequoia turned to his father's eyes

And he said father you're wise

From where come such snow white leaves

With such strange marks upon these squares

Not even the wise owl could put them there

So strange these snow white leaves

His father shielding his concern

Resenting the knowledge Sequoia yearned

Crumbled the snow white leaves

He said when I explain then it's done

These are talking leaves my son

The white men's talking leaves

The white man takes a berry of black and red

And an eagle's feather from the eagle's bed.

And he makes bird track marks

And the marks on the leaves, they say

Carry messages to his brother far away

And his brother knows what's in his heart

They see these marks and they understand

The truth in the heart of the far off man

The enemies can't hear them

Said Sequoia's father.

Son they weave bad medicine

On these talking leaves

Leave such things to them

Then Sequoia walking lightly

Followed his father quietly

But so amazed was he

If the white man talks on leaves

Why not the Cherokee

Vanished from his father's face

Sequoia went from place to place

But he could not forget.

Year after year he worked on and on

Till finally he cut into stone

The Cherokee alphabet

Sequoia's hair by now was white

His eyes began to lose their light

But he taught all who would believe

That the Indian's thoughts

Could be written down

Just as the white men's there on the ground

And he left us these talking leaves.

• Artist:Johnny Cash
• Album:Album Bitter Tears: Ballads Of The American Indian (1964)