Sequoia's winters were sixteen silent tongue spirit clean
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He walked at his father's side
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Across the smoking battle ground where red and white men lay all around
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So many here had died
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The wind had scattered around snow white leaves upon the ground
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Not leaves like leaves from trees
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Sequoia said what can this be what's the strange thing here I see
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From where come leaves like these
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Sequoia turned to his father's eyes and he said father you're wise
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From where come such snow white leaves
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With such strange marks upon these squares
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Not even the wise owl could put them there
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So strange these snow white leaves
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His father shielding his concern resenting the knowledge Sequoia yearned
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Crumbled the snow white leaves
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He said when I explain then it's done these are talking leaves my son
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The white men's talking leaves
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The white man takes a berry of black and red
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And an eagle's feather from the eagle's bed
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And he makes bird track marks
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And the marks on the leaves they say carry messages to his brother far away
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And his brother knows what's in his heart
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They see these marks and they understand the truth in the heart of the far off man
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The enemies can't hear them
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Said Sequoia's father son they weave bad medicine on these talking leaves
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Leave such things to them
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Then Sequoia walking lightly followed his father quietly but so amazed was he
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If the white man talks on leaves why not the Cherokee
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Vanished from his father's face Sequoia went from place to place
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But he could not forget
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Year after year he worked on and on till finally he cut into stone
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The Cherokee alphabet
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Sequoia's hair by now was white his eyes began to lose their light
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But he taught all who would believe
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That the Indian's thoughts could be written down
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Just as the white men's there on the ground and he left us these talking leaves
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The Talking Leaves
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Johnny Cash |