Saturday, February 16, 2013

Poem about Levi Colbert and his daughter

This is a poem written about Levi Colbert and his daughter a princess Vici Colbert. Levi is the son of James Colbert.
A Legend Of Pontotoc

by Mrs. Julia Anderson

In the land of Miche Sepa
Land of fertile hills and valleys
On the ridge of Punctacontuc
Near the vale of Puncahala-
"Hanging Grapes' the pale face called it-
Lived a happy tribe of Chicsas
Hunting, fishing, carefree ever.
Where the Ittawambamingo
Led his people as their chieftain,
Later known as Levi Colbert.
Then a white man on adventure
Came among them; an explorer
Seeking homes for his own people,
Saw the fertile hills and valleys-
Saw the Ridge of Punctacontuc,
And the vale of Puncahala;
And he said, "Here have I found the
Garden spot of God's creation!
And the white man must possess it,
We must own these vine-clad ridges,
They will bring us untold riches
When we rid them of these red men
And their huts of cane and willow.
For a string of beads we'll buy it
And the government will aid us.
We will send the Indian westward-
Give him land beyond the river,
And he'll never know the difference."
Little knew he how they loved the
Tangled wood of Punctacontuc;
How their hearts were wrung with anguish
When land offices were builded
And they heard the heartless edict,
"Sell your lands and move you westward!"
Then old Ittawambamingo
Sat within his hut and sorrowed,
Bent his head upon his bosom-
Dared not look upon his people
When he knew he could not aid them.
Softly then into his cabin
Ghostly shadows took their places,
On his brow their clammy fingers
Wrote the words of Desolation
that had come upon his people.
Then the white men came in numbers
From the Eastern states to settle
On the beauteous Punctacontuc
Bought for naught from Chicsa Indians,
Whom they sent across the River.
Not an Indian man was granted
Leave to live on there among them.
Nor an Indian Squaw of Maiden,
Save she chanced to catch the fancy
Of some white man who desired her
To become his wife in marriage.
At the doorway of her cabin
Sat the lovely Vici Colbert,
Princess of her tribe of people.
By her side were grapes in garlands
And her lap was filled with chestnuts,
For the frost of Autumn threatened
And the air was crisp and buoyant.
But the pretty Indian princess
Was unconscious of the present.
She was thinking of that morning
When she gathered grapes and chestnuts
Down the vale of Puncahala,
When the young man from Virginia
Came upon her in the grape-vine.
He had gently smiled upon her-
Asked her name and lingered near her-
Told her softly of her beauty.
And the lovely Indian Princess
Who had spurned the oft repeated
Tales of love from brave Topulka
Knew her heart would beat forever
For the youth from Old Virginia,
To the Princess came her Portion
Of the Colbert lands so fertile
Which was worth an unknown fortune.
And the happy Indian princess
Conscious of her striking beauty
And her wealth of untold riches
Hoped to wed the gay Virginian.
She could give him wealth unbounded
And her heart of love unending,
For his name- the law's condition
That she live at Punctacontuc.
But in vain the maiden waited
For her faithless pale face lover.
All her lands were sold for silver,
And she left her haunts primeval
For a home in strange location.
And her heart she left, unwanted,
In the care of the Virginian.
In a home of Wealth and Culture
In the State of Old Virginia,
Wedding guests were hushed- expectant-
Down the stairs the bride was coming,
All her maidens standing near her.
At the foot the bridegroom waited,
And the solemn vows were taken.
Away they sped to Miche Sepa,
To the ridge of Punctacontuc.
Eagerly the young Virginian
Brought his bride to Punctacontuc-
Pontotoc, they learned to call it.
And they made their home upon the
Land he'd bought from Levi Colbert.
Now and then he lightly pondered
On the beauty of the Princess,
And he wondered where she's wandered,
Little dreaming that her heart was
Left with him at Punctacontuc
To remain with him forever.
Every year the breath of Autumn
Strikes the leaves at Punctacontuc
Turning them gold and crimson
A memorial to the princess
Whose young life was crowned with sorrow.
They had been her favorite colors,
Bright and Beautiful she called them.
And in memory of their princess
All the woods at Punctacontuc
Wear her colors in the Autumn.
Lovely hills of Punctacontuc,
Pontotoc, they've learned to call it. (1)
(1) Mrs. Dabney Anderson, Pontotoc Progress, Pontotoc, Miss.

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