The Grass on the Mountain

From the Paiute, Native American
Transcribed by Mary Austin


Oh, long long
The snow has possessed the mountains.

The deer have come down and the big-horn,
They have followed the Sun to the south
They feed on the mesquite pods and the bunch grass.
Loud are the thunderdrums
In the tents of the mountain.
Oh, long long
Have we eaten chia seeds
And dried deer's flesh of the summer killing.
We are wearied of our huts
And the smoky smell of our garments.

We are sick with desire of the sun
And the grass on the mountains.

*Chia seeds were important in the diet of the Aztecs.  As far as I can tell, they were not eaten by the Paiute Indians, however pinyon nuts or pine nuts were a winter staple.  The Northern Paiute were derogatorily refered to as "Diggers" because they foraged for roots and grass seeds.  They also ate "free-range" meat, deer and rabbit.   It is amazing how our perspective on this has changed.  The Paiute diet is now close to what we consider ideal.

This poem comes from Great Poems for Grandchildren.