Flint and Feather (1914)

by E. Pauline Johnson

For other versions of this work, see Flint and Feather.

FLINT AND FEATHER

FLINT AND FEATHER
(COLLECTED VERSE)

BY
E. PAULINE JOHNSON
(TEKAHIONWAKE)

REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION

INCLUDING POEM WRITTEN DURING
HER FINAL ILLNESS

WITH INTRODUCTION BY THEODORE WATTS-DUNTON

ILLUSTRATED BY J. R. SEAVEY

THE MUSSON BOOK CO. LIMITED

TORONTO LONDON

First Edition printed in 1912
Second Edition printed in 1913
This, the Third Edition, printed in 1914

To

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS

THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT

WHO IS HEAD CHIEF OF THE SIX NATIONS INDIANS

I INSCRIBE THIS BOOK BY HIS OWN

GRACIOUS PERMISSION

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

vii

Biographical sketch ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

xxiii

The White Wampum

Ojistoh ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3

As Red Men Die ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

6

The Pilot of the Plains ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

9

The Cattle Thief ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

12

A Cry from an Indian Wife ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

17

Dawendine ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

20

Wolverine ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

24

The Vagabonds ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

29

The Song my Paddle Sings ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

31

The Camper ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

33

At Husking Time ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

34

Workworn ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

35

Easter ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

37

Erie Waters ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

39

The Flight of the Crows ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

40

Moonset ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

42

Marshlands ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

43

Joe ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

44

Shadow River ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

46

Rainfall ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

48

Under Canvas ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

49

The Birds' Lullaby ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

51

Overlooked ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

53

Fasting ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

54

Christmastide ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

57

Close By ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

58

The Idlers ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

60

At Sunset ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

63

Penseroso ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

64

Re-Voyage ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

65

Brier ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

67

Wave-Won ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

68

The Happy Hunting Grounds ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

70

In the Shadows ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

72

Nocturne ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

74

My English Letter ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

76

Canadian Born

Canadian Born ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

81

Where Leaps the Ste. Marie ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

83

Harvest Time ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

84

Lady Lorgnette ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

85

Low Tide at St. Andrews ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

87

Beyond the Blue ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

88

The Mariner ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

92

Lullaby of the Iroquois ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

94

The Corn Husker ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

95

Prairie Greyhounds ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

96

Golden—Of the Selkirks ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

98

The Songster ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

100

Thistle-Down ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

101

The Riders of the Plains ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

102

Silhouette ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

105

A Prodigal ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

106

"Through Time and Bitter Distance" ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

107

At Half-Mast ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

109

The Sleeping Giant ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

112

The Quill Worker ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

113

Guard of the Eastern Gate ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

115

At Crow's Nest Pass ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

116

"Give us Barabbas" ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

117

Your Mirror Frame ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

119

The City and the Sea ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

121

Fire-Flowers ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

122

A Toast ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

123

Lady Icicle ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

125

The Legend of Qu'Appelle Valley ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

127

The Art of Alma-Tadema ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

131

Good-Bye ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

132

Miscellaneous Poems

In Grey Days ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

135

Brandon ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

136

The Indian Corn Planter ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

137

The Cattle Country ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

138

Autumn's Orchestra:

The Overture ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

139

The Firs ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

139

Mosses ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

139

The Vine ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

140

The Maple ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

140

Hare-Bell ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

140

The Giant Oak ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

141

Aspens ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

141

Finale ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

141

The Trail to Lillooet ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

142

Canada ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

144

The Lifting of the Mist ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

145

The Homing Bee ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

146

The Lost Lagoon ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

147

The Train Dogs ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

148

The King's Consort ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

149

When George Was King ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

151

Day Dawn ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

153

The Archer ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

155

The Wolf ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

157

The Man in Chrysanthemum Land ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

158

Calgary of the Plains ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

160

The Ballad of Yaada ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

162

"And He Said, Fight On" ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

166