The Deadly Journey

Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole the five civilized tribes shout

Forced by white officials to become more like them, so they could take away their land

Divided their native people, the southeastern tribes would have to leave, as the drum sounds out

Speaking and thinking like white man did not make the difference the plan failed, it was just pretend

The fishing villages along the ocean, now lost, corn crops and bean fields burnt up in flame

No piney forests to hunt, no canoes on the water, no deer tracks, only the dead tracks ahead, hungry with shame

The white man wanted to build his home on this great southern land, and fill it with cotton fields, making himself rich

A deadly journey, as the weather would change, no snowshoes, or toboggans, barefeet, some worn out moccasins, the great horned owl would follow

The Cherokee proud, but knowing the darkness ahead, a trail of tears would lead them nowhere, some would be buried in a ditch deep and hollow

A made up indian territory, designated just for them, the white man stole their livestock looted their homes while they were on their way, astray

No more indian territory, no more civilized tribe, crushed to the earth, by starvation and disease, a devastating display

The spirits are moving, their path is still there, the respect they lost now just memories

As the spirit of the heavens and nature bring back those lost souls in the naked land of bloodshed

The deadly journey, never won, just a trail of tears, so the Cherokee bled