Lake
Graham Coxon Lyrics

By the shores of Gitche Gumee
Hiawatha was standing by the shores of Gitche Gumee

By the shining Big-Sea-Water
Gitche Gumee is the shining Big-Sea-Water

At the doorway of the wigwam
Hiawatha is standing at the doorway of the wigwam near Gitche Gumee

In the early Summer morning
It is early in the morning during the summer season

Hiawatha stood and waited
Hiawatha is standing and waiting for something

All the air was full of freshness
The air is fresh and cool

All the earth was bright and joyous
The earth is bright and filled with joy

And before him, through the sunshine,
Hiawatha is watching through the sunshine

Westward toward the neighboring forest
He is looking westward towards the neighboring forest

Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo
The golden swarm of Ahmo is passing through the sunshine

Passed the bees, the honey-makers,
The bees, who make honey, are also passing by

Burning, singing in the sunshine
They are burning and singing in the bright sun

Bright above him shone the heavens,
The sky is shining bright above him

Level spread the lake before him;
The lake is spread out levelly in front of him

From its bosom leaped the sturgeon,
There are sturgeons leaping out of its body

Sparkling, flashing in the sunshine;
They are sparkling and flashing in the bright sun

On its margin the great forest
The great forest is on the margin of the lake

Stood reflected in the water,
Its reflection is standing still in the water

Every tree-top had its shadow,
Every tree has a shadow

Motionless beneath the water.
All trees are motionless under the water

From the brow of Hiawatha
Hiawatha is on a high point

Gone was every trace of sorrow,
He is not sad at all

As the fog from off the water,
His sadness is lifted like fog from the water

As the mist from off the meadow.
His sadness is lifted like mist from the meadow

With a smile of joy and gladness,
Hiawatha is smiling with happiness

With a look of exultation,
He is joyful and triumphant

As of one who in a vision
He is imagining something

Sees what is to be, but is not,
He can see what’s coming

Stood and waited Hiawatha.
Hiawatha is standing and waiting

Toward the sun his hands were lifted,
He lifts both hands towards the sun

Both the palms spread out toward it,
His palms are wide open towards the sun

And between the parted fingers
There is a small gap between his fingers

Fell the sunshine on his features,
The sunshine is falling on his features

Flecked with light his naked shoulders,
His naked shoulders are flickering with light

As it falls and flecks an oak-tree
The falling light is flickering the same way as an oak tree

Through the rifted leaves and branches.
The light passes between the leaves of the tree

O'er the water floating, flying,
Something is floating and flying over the water

Something in the hazy distance,
It is something he cannot quite make out

Something in the mists of morning,
The object is within morning mist

Loomed and lifted from the water,
It appears out of the water

Now seemed floating, now seemed flying,
It appeared to be both floating and flying

Coming nearer, nearer, nearer.
It was moving closer

Was it Shingebis the diver?
He wonders whether it’s Shingebis the diver

Or the pelican, the Shada?
Or the pelican, the Shada?

Or the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah?
Or the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah?

Or the white goose, Waw-be-wana,
Or the white goose, Waw-be-wana?

With the water dripping, flashing,
The white goose has water dripping from it, flashing in the sunlight

From its glossy neck and feathers?
The water is dripping from its glossy neck and feathers

It was neither goose nor diver,
It was neither a goose nor a diver

Neither pelican nor heron,
It was also neither a pelican nor a heron

O'er the water floating, flying,
It was floating and flying over the water

Through the shining mist of morning,
It was going through the shining morning mist

But a birch canoe with paddles,
It was a birch canoe with paddles

Rising, sinking on the water,
The canoe was rising and sinking in the water

Ripping, flashing in the sunshine;
It was ripping and flashing in the sunlight

And within it came a people
And there were people in the canoe

Can it be the sun descending
An inquiry as the sun begins to descend

O'er the level plain of water?
A question as to whether the sun is setting over the water

Or the Red Swan floating, flying,
An inquiry as to whether it’s a red swan flying or floating

Wounded by the magic arrow,
The red swan is wounded by a magic arrow

Staining all the waves with crimson,
The swan’s blood is causing the waves to turn red

With the crimson of its life-blood,
The life-blood of the swan is causing the crimson color

Filling all the air with splendor,
The red swan is filling the air with magnificence

Filling all the air with plumage?
The swan’s feathers are filling the air

Yes; it is the sun descending,
It is, indeed, the sun descending

Sinking down into the water;
It is setting into the water

All the sky is stained with purple,
The sky is stained with purple color

All the water flushed with crimson!
The water is flushed with the red color

No; it is the Red Swan floating,
It’s not the sun; it’s the red swan floating

Diving down beneath the water;
It’s diving down below the water

To the sky its wings are lifted,
It's wings are lifted towards the sky

With its blood the waves are reddened!
The red swan’s blood is causing the waves to turn red

Over it the Star of Evening
The Star of Evening is above the red swan

Melts and trembles through the purple,
The star is melting and trembling through the purple

Hangs suspended in the twilight,
The star is suspended and floating through the twilight

Walks in silence through the heavens.
The star is walking silently through the heavens