Indian Will
(Mid 1700's)

                                       I.
Will dwelt in a wigwam with Hannah, his wife.
With rings in his ears, he led a charmed life.
It is said Hannah catered to his every wish;
she dressed all the game and cleaned all the fish.
Now, one day in Spring, they say Indian Will
got some gumption and planted some beans in a hill.
They ripened, and Hannah, a hankering got -
cooked his prized beans, with possum, in an iron pot.
No sooner'd she ate, Will's form darkened the door.
"Who picked my beans?"  She said, "Me - there's no more."
He said, "Woman, I'm mad - and you're gonna die!"
She walked on ahead, to the river nearby.
He looked for a good place; "Deep Hole" was the best.
He drowned her and buried her, feet pointing West
beneath a gnarled willow, with game and cornpone
to eat, as she journeyed to the Great Spirit alone.
Now, Hannah's three brothers came to avenge,
but Will tricked and killed them as they drank on a binge.
But, Hannah and brothers avenged Will their own ways,
for their forms rose and floated, to haunt Will all his days.

                                       II.
Will was lazy, brazen and bold,
a character with a forked tongue.
Around firesides numerous stories were told,
when old Monmouth County was young.
A pack of lean, hungry dogs kept Will from harm,
our earliest settlers would tell.
As he walked the shore roads he'd stop into their farms;
oh, they remembered Will well.
The kids stood apart as Will stared straight ahead,
he'd grunt but not utter a word.
Then the kids, like as not, would hide under a bed,
remembering the stories they'd heard.

They listened to stories of Hannah, Will's wife,
a dutiful spouse, by all means. 
And, how in the river, Will took her dear life,
just because she had eaten his beans.
When Hannah's three brothers heard of her demise,
they vowed Will would never go free.
They tricked Will to kill him, but he was too wise,
with a pine knot he killed them - all three.
Will had a talent which brought him some fame. 
With his index finger, it's said,
he could point at a bird, animal or wild game
and watch as it fell over dead.
When Will ate with white people, he'd always use
a "white" spoon he carried around.
White people begged for it, but Will would refuse,
saying, "Me find one for you in the ground."
Those were the days, sometimes ships ran ashore;
treasured items would sink in the sand.
Will walked the beach; it was not long before
he had much gold and silver on hand.
One night Will plunked down golden coins he had found,
to pay for the firewater, and grinned.
The innkeeper  looked on with eyes big and round,
that was how Will acquired a new friend.
Will found a new welcome in town after that. 
Situations had changed, it would seem.
For soon, Will was sporting a coat and cocked hat,
a token of his new esteem.
The innkeeper badgered 'til fin'ly Will told,
and to the Innkeeper's delight,
divided it up giving his "yeller" (gold),
while Will kept the beautiful "white"
Indian Will killed and cheated and lied;
it's doubtful he had a true friend.
Then one day, Will just upped and quietly died.
And everyone heard it!  THE END.

- Lillian Arnold Lopez "Pineylore"

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