Hiawatha's Wooing Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJEHKHGLMENH HGHGEGHBBIHEHFHEEBOH GKHEHHHBBFEGGBEFHBGH HPGCHIEJHGQHBIFGGGRE IOEHEQQJEHEESHBGGTHH HHEBHEQUVHOTGCUHJKQW HGHHXEEGTCUEBHCHGFOG HHQEHTEJGXGHGIGGGGFH GHBGGHKSGHHFGEGGBEBE GHGEGHJESGFCGGIEEHGE EGGOJHYJEETIHHHXHEZB EEGHBGFGGG

As unto the bow the cord isA
So unto the man is womanB
Though she bends him she obeys himC
Though she draws him yet she followsD
Useless each without the otherE
Thus the youthful HiawathaF
Said within himself and ponderedG
Much perplexed by various feelingsH
Listless longing hoping fearingI
Dreaming still of MinnehahaJ
Of the lovely Laughing WaterE
In the land of the DacotahsH
Wed a maiden of your peopleK
Warning said the old NokomisH
Go not eastward go not westwardG
For a stranger whom we know notL
Like a fire upon the hearth stoneM
Is a neighbor's homely daughterE
Like the starlight or the moonlightN
Is the handsomest of strangersH
Thus dissuading spake NokomisH
And my Hiawatha answeredG
Only this Dear old NokomisH
Very pleasant is the firelightG
But I like the starlight betterE
Better do I like the moonlightG
Gravely then said old NokomisH
Bring not here an idle maidenB
Bring not here a useless womanB
Hands unskilful feet unwillingI
Bring a wife with nimble fingersH
Heart and hand that move togetherE
Feet that run on willing errandsH
Smiling answered HiawathaF
'In the land of the DacotahsH
Lives the Arrow maker's daughterE
Minnehaha Laughing WaterE
Handsomest of all the womenB
I will bring her to your wigwamO
She shall run upon your errandsH
Be your starlight moonlight firelightG
Be the sunlight of my peopleK
Still dissuading said NokomisH
Bring not to my lodge a strangerE
From the land of the DacotahsH
Very fierce are the DacotahsH
Often is there war between usH
There are feuds yet unforgottenB
Wounds that ache and still may openB
Laughing answered HiawathaF
For that reason if no otherE
Would I wed the fair DacotahG
That our tribes might be unitedG
That old feuds might be forgottenB
And old wounds be healed foreverE
Thus departed HiawathaF
To the land of the DacotahsH
To the land of handsome womenB
Striding over moor and meadowG
Through interminable forestsH
Through uninterrupted silenceH
With his moccasins of magicP
At each stride a mile he measuredG
Yet the way seemed long before himC
And his heart outran his footstepsH
And he journeyed without restingI
Till he heard the cataract's laughterE
Heard the Falls of MinnehahaJ
Calling to him through the silenceH
Pleasant is the sound he murmuredG
Pleasant is the voice that calls meQ
On the outskirts of the forestsH
'Twixt the shadow and the sunshineB
Herds of fallow deer were feedingI
But they saw not HiawathaF
To his bow he whispered Fail notG
To his arrow whispered Swerve notG
Sent it singing on its errandG
To the red heart of the roebuckR
Threw the deer across his shoulderE
And sped forward without pausingI
At the doorway of his wigwamO
Sat the ancient Arrow makerE
In the land of the DacotahsH
Making arrow heads of jasperE
Arrow heads of chalcedonyQ
At his side in all her beautyQ
Sat the lovely MinnehahaJ
Sat his daughter Laughing WaterE
Plaiting mats of flags and rushesH
Of the past the old man's thoughts wereE
And the maiden's of the futureE
He was thinking as he sat thereS
Of the days when with such arrowsH
He had struck the deer and bisonB
On the Muskoday the meadowG
Shot the wild goose flying southwardG
On the wing the clamorous WawaT
Thinking of the great war partiesH
How they came to buy his arrowsH
Could not fight without his arrowsH
Ah no more such noble warriorsH
Could be found on earth as they wereE
Now the men were all like womenB
Only used their tongues for weaponsH
She was thinking of a hunterE
From another tribe and countryQ
Young and tall and very handsomeU
Who one morning in the Spring timeV
Came to buy her father's arrowsH
Sat and rested in the wigwamO
Lingered long about the doorwayT
Looking back as he departedG
She had heard her father praise himC
Praise his courage and his wisdomU
Would he come again for arrowsH
To the Falls of MinnehahaJ
On the mat her hands lay idleK
And her eyes were very dreamyQ
Through their thoughts they heard a footstepW
Heard a rustling in the branchesH
And with glowing cheek and foreheadG
With the deer upon his shouldersH
Suddenly from out the woodlandsH
Hiawatha stood before themX
Straight the ancient Arrow makerE
Looked up gravely from his laborE
Laid aside the unfinished arrowG
Bade him enter at the doorwayT
Saying as he rose to meet himC
'Hiawatha you are welcomeU
At the feet of Laughing WaterE
Hiawatha laid his burdenB
Threw the red deer from his shouldersH
And the maiden looked up at himC
Looked up from her mat of rushesH
Said with gentle look and accentG
You are welcome HiawathaF
Very spacious was the wigwamO
Made of deer skins dressed and whitenedG
With the Gods of the DacotahsH
Drawn and painted on its curtainsH
And so tall the doorway hardlyQ
Hiawatha stooped to enterE
Hardly touched his eagle feathersH
As he entered at the doorwayT
Then uprose the Laughing WaterE
From the ground fair MinnehahaJ
Laid aside her mat unfinishedG
Brought forth food and set before themX
Water brought them from the brookletG
Gave them food in earthen vesselsH
Gave them drink in bowls of bass woodG
Listened while the guest was speakingI
Listened while her father answeredG
But not once her lips she openedG
Not a single word she utteredG
Yes as in a dream she listenedG
To the words of HiawathaF
As he talked of old NokomisH
Who had nursed him in his childhoodG
As he told of his companionsH
Chibiabos the musicianB
And the very strong man KwasindG
And of happiness and plentyG
In the land of the OjibwaysH
In the pleasant land and peacefulK
After many years of warfareS
Many years of strife and bloodshedG
There is peace between the OjibwaysH
And the tribe of the DacotahsH
Thus continued HiawathaF
And then added speaking slowlyG
That this peace may last foreverE
And our hands be clasped more closelyG
And our hearts be more unitedG
Give me as my wife this maidenB
Minnehaha Laughing WaterE
Loveliest of Dacotah womenB
And the ancient Arrow makerE
Paused a moment ere he answeredG
Smoked a little while in silenceH
Looked at Hiawatha proudlyG
Fondly looked at Laughing WaterE
And made answer very gravelyG
Yes if Minnehaha wishesH
Let your heart speak MinnehahaJ
And the lovely Laughing WaterE
Seemed more lovely as she stood thereS
Neither willing nor reluctantG
As she went to HiawathaF
Softly took the seat beside himC
While she said and blushed to say itG
I will follow you my husbandG
This was Hiawatha's wooingI
Thus it was he won the daughterE
Of the ancient Arrow makerE
In the land of the DacotahsH
From the wigwam he departedG
Leading with him Laughing WaterE
Hand in hand they went togetherE
Through the woodland and the meadowG
Left the old man standing lonelyG
At the doorway of his wigwamO
Heard the Falls of MinnehahaJ
Calling to them from the distanceH
Crying to them from afar offY
Fare thee well O MinnehahaJ
And the ancient Arrow makerE
Turned again unto his laborE
Sat down by his sunny doorwayT
Murmuring to himself and sayingI
Thus it is our daughters leave usH
Those we love and those who love usH
Just when they have learned to help usH
When we are old and lean upon themX
Comes a youth with flaunting feathersH
With his flute of reeds a strangerE
Wanders piping through the villageZ
Beckons to the fairest maidenB
And she follows where he leads herE
Leaving all things for the strangerE
Pleasant was the journey homewardG
Through interminable forestsH
Over meadow over mountainB
Over river hill and hollowG
Short it seemed to HiawathaF
Though they journeyed very slowlyG
Though his pace he checked and slackenedG
To tG

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow



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