Ojistoh Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABCC DDEEAA FFGGHHIIJJAA KKLLAA FFKKKK KKKKMMHH NNOOPQRR KKKKSSAA KKKKMMHHTTT| I am Ojistoh I am she the wife | A |
| Of him whose name breathes bravery and life | A |
| And courage to the tribe that calls him chief | B |
| I am Ojistoh his white star and he | C |
| Is land and lake and sky and soul to me | C |
| - | |
| Ah but they hated him those Huron braves | D |
| Him who had flung their warriors into graves | D |
| Him who had crushed them underneath his heel | E |
| Whose arm was iron and whose heart was steel | E |
| To all save me Ojistoh chosen wife | A |
| Of my great Mohawk white star of his life | A |
| - | |
| Ah but they hated him and councilled long | F |
| With subtle witchcraft how to work him wrong | F |
| How to avenge their dead and strike him where | G |
| His pride was highest and his fame most fair | G |
| Their hearts grew weak as women at his name | H |
| They dared no war path since my Mohawk came | H |
| With ashen bow and flinten arrow head | I |
| To pierce their craven bodies but their dead | I |
| Must be avenged Avenged They dared not walk | J |
| In day and meet his deadly tomahawk | J |
| They dared not face his fearless scalping knife | A |
| So Niyoh then they thought of me his wife | A |
| - | |
| O evil evil face of them they sent | K |
| With evil Huron speech Would I consent | K |
| To take of wealth be queen of all their tribe | L |
| Have wampum ermine Back I flung the bribe | L |
| Into their teeth and said While I have life | A |
| Know this Ojistoh is the Mohawk's wife | A |
| - | |
| Wah how we struggled But their arms were strong | F |
| They flung me on their pony's back with thong | F |
| Round ankle wrist and shoulder Then upleapt | K |
| The one I hated most his eye he swept | K |
| Over my misery and sneering said | K |
| Thus fair Ojistoh we avenge our dead | K |
| - | |
| And we two rode rode as a sea wind chased | K |
| I bound with buckskin to his hated waist | K |
| He sneering laughing jeering while he lashed | K |
| The horse to foam as on and on we dashed | K |
| Plunging through creek and river bush and trail | M |
| On on we galloped like a northern gale | M |
| At last his distant Huron fires aflame | H |
| We saw and nearer nearer still we came | H |
| - | |
| I bound behind him in the captive's place | N |
| Scarely could see the outline of his face | N |
| I smiled and laid my cheek against his back | O |
| Loose thou my hands I said This pace let slack | O |
| Forget we now that thou and I are foes | P |
| I like thee well and wish to clasp thee close | Q |
| I like the courage of thine eye and brow | R |
| I like thee better than my Mohawk now | R |
| - | |
| He cut the cords we ceased our maddened haste | K |
| I wound my arms about his tawny waist | K |
| My hand crept up the buckskin of his belt | K |
| His knife hilt in my burning palm I felt | K |
| One hand caressed his cheek the other drew | S |
| The weapon softly I love you love you | S |
| I whispered love you as my life | A |
| And buried in his back his scalping knife | A |
| - | |
| Ha how I rode rode as a sea wind chased | K |
| Mad with sudden freedom mad with haste | K |
| Back to my Mohawk and my home I lashed | K |
| That horse to foam as on and on I dashed | K |
| Plunging thro' creek and river bush and trail | M |
| On on I galloped like a northern gale | M |
| And then my distant Mohawk's fires aflame | H |
| I saw as nearer nearer still I came | H |
| My hands all wet stained with a life's red dye | T |
| But pure my soul pure as those stars on high | T |
| My Mohawk's pure white star Ojistoh still am I | T |
Emily Pauline Johnson
(1)
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About Ojistoh
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