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