Lyrics

Trail Of Tears Lullaby

[Verse 1]
Little feet in frozen mud
Small hands gripping cedar beads
Grandma’s voice a broken thread
Naming rivers
Naming seeds
Smoke still in our braided hair
Homes shrinking in the dark
Every step a word erased
Every mile another mark

[Chorus]
Sing low
My child
On the trail of tears
Hold tight to the names of the ones not here
When the soldiers shout
When the night grows near
We will carry home in our song
My dear
We will carry home in our song
My dear

[Verse 2]
Snow on corn that never grew
Fire pits turned into scars
Blankets thin as paper skin
Sky too wide and full of stars
Brother coughing
Falling slow
Eyes like storms that will not pass
Mother lifts him
Whispers soft
“Walk in dreams
Walk in the grass”

[Chorus]
Sing low
My child
On the trail of tears
Hold tight to the names of the ones not here
When the soldiers shout
When the night grows near
We will carry home in our song
My dear
We will carry home in our song
My dear

[Bridge]
Who will speak for all we lost
Cabins
Stories
Cedar smoke
Who will count the quiet graves
Hidden where the tall reeds choke
We will
We will
Three small voices
Braids and beads and trembling hands
We will
We will
Keep on walking
Planting footsteps in this land (oh)

[Chorus]
Sing low
My child
On the trail of tears
Hold tight to the names of the ones not here
When the cold wind bites
When the path’s unclear
We will carry home in our song
My dear
We will carry home in our song
My dear