"Paper" - a Native American reflection on white society

From the cantata "We Have Spoken" by Clyde Thompson, native American poetry set to beautiful music.

Loren Crow, bass soloist

Soundcloud of the performance

Paper

This is the way of white people:
They put great store in writing,
Always there is a paper.

Whenever white people come together there is writing.
When we go to buy some sugar or tea we see the white trader writing.
Even the white doctor, as he sits beside his patient, is writing on a paper, writing on a piece of paper.

The indian needs no writing. Words that are true sink deep into his heart and there remain.
We are puzzled what purpose all this writing serves.