No Place For Young Men

When Jim and Charlie were six years old Hiram took em down to the boarding school As a foster kid and a native father I was forced to think that he was more than fool Being placed with strangers is abrasive Danger the erasure angle is a mormon tool Too quaint to hang us too prayed to save us So they just enslaved us then called it school Couldn't believe that a Native dad would ever Advocate for his kids being sent to a place like this Not until I read about it being commonplace Cause they thought an education would right the ship Send 'em off the reservation get 'em all educated Then they'll come back home and help us win Gotta beat the pale face at his game If you ever want a real chance to save your kin Hiram was only looking out for the best Of his sons and really that makes me bubble The fact that he had to back track daddy had to Cut slack in son's leash to milk the struggle Hate to say it but it kind of worked Don't negate or change it made Jim berserk Being six years old and not understanding Why you feel abandoned man it had to hurt Charlie excelled but Jim expelled home Twenty-three miles back down the trail Ran from the Sac and Fox boarding school Just to be sent back fam that's an L At least he had his twin there to lean on Charlie was the one who helped him be strong Yet again he'd run away and be gone Just to get sent back again it wouldn't be long It was not a good place For a young man Try to run away and Fall in the quick sand I hope you have a strong Heart that can withstand Because it's not a good Place for a young man It was not a good place For a young man Try to run away and Fall in the quick sand I hope you have a strong Heart that can withstand Because it's not a good place Back at school, running a fail Jim didn't care to come out of his shell Leaned on Charlie for the help to heal He could count on twin cause he kept it real Sad that his dad banned the man from home Though he came to understand still what's the deal Stuck at a standstill mush for meals He was blessed with wheels so he had to peel Suppose it only helped he had a love for thrill Twenty-three miles back was a trot At 9 years old he could've carried the rock Like Jonas Metoxen known as Met the Ox Ran through them miles like an eight man box Lots of kids today couldn't fill them socks Damn right he got respect from his pops That's why he taught him how to farm the plot Back at home dad let him stay a while Even got to hang with his friends and play Still he was different he was not like they Shot his first deer at a real young age Running, jumping, fishing, hunting Roping cattle, getting money Wrangling horses in the country For survival nothing funny All of this by nine years old Hiram taught Jim to be hungry By example and through stories Of Chief Black Hawk's greatest glories Feeling cruddy still he humbly Sent his buddy on the way Back to school to be with Brother Charlie and to find his way It was not a good place For a young man Try to run away and Fall in the quick sand I hope you have a strong heart that can withstand Because it's not a good Place for a young man It was not a good place For a young man Try to run away and Fall in the quick sand I hope you have a strong Heart that can withstand Because it's not a good place