Why do you bend the knee
When your priests before you, singing, singing,
Lift the cross, the cross of tree?

Flashing in the sunlight, rainbows waking,
Move your mighty oars keeping time.
Sailors heave your anchors, chanting, chanting
Some strange and mystic rime.

Pearls and gold we bring you, feathers of our wild birds,
Glowing in the sunshine like flowers.
Houses we will build you, food and clothing find you,
You shall share in all that is ours.

Why do you frighten us, white men, white men?
Can you not be friends for a day?
Souls are like the sea-birds, flying, flying,
Borne by the sea-wind away.

Why do you chain us in the mines of the mountains?
Why do you hunt us with your hounds?
We who were so free, are we evermore to be
Prisoned in your narrow hateful bounds?

One escape is left us, white men, white men,--
You cannot forbid our souls to fly
To the stars of freedom, far beyond the sunset,--
We whom you have captured can die!