The Song Of Hiawatha: X Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCDEF GHIAJFI KIHLMFNI IHIHFH ICCAIFI GIFFCOIHK IFIIICC GFHHCF GICHII PHDIAFJIHQ ICAGHHHRFA OFIFQQJFIFF SICHHTIIIIFCI FQUVITOHDUIJKQ WIHIIX FFHTDU FCIDIHG OHIIQFIT FJHXHIHAHHH HGIHICHHIK SHIIGHFHHCFC FHIHFHIJ FSHGDHH AFFI HFFHHOJIYJ FFTAIIIXIFZCFF HICHGHHF ICFA2FT

X Hiawatha's WooingA
-
As unto the bow the cord isB
So unto the man is womanC
Though she bends him she obeys himD
Though she draws him yet she followsE
Useless each without the otherF
-
Thus the youthful HiawathaG
Said within himself and ponderedH
Much perplexed by various feelingsI
Listless longing hoping fearingA
Dreaming still of MinnehahaJ
Of the lovely Laughing WaterF
In the land of the DacotahsI
-
Wed a maiden of your peopleK
Warning said the old NokomisI
Go not eastward go not westwardH
For a stranger whom we know notL
Like a fire upon the hearth stoneM
Is a neighbor's homely daughterF
Like the starlight or the moonlightN
Is the handsomest of strangersI
-
Thus dissuading spake NokomisI
And my Hiawatha answeredH
Only this Dear old NokomisI
Very pleasant is the firelightH
But I like the starlight betterF
Better do I like the moonlightH
-
Gravely then said old NokomisI
Bring not here an idle maidenC
Bring not here a useless womanC
Hands unskilful feet unwillingA
Bring a wife with nimble fingersI
Heart and hand that move togetherF
Feet that run on willing errandsI
-
Smiling answered HiawathaG
In the land of the DacotahsI
Lives the Arrow maker's daughterF
Minnehaha Laughing WaterF
Handsomest of all the womenC
I will bring her to your wigwamO
She shall run upon your errandsI
Be your starlight moonlight firelightH
Be the sunlight of my peopleK
-
Still dissuading said NokomisI
Bring not to my lodge a strangerF
From the land of the DacotahsI
Very fierce are the DacotahsI
Often is there war between usI
There are feuds yet unforgottenC
Wounds that ache and still may openC
-
Laughing answered HiawathaG
For that reason if no otherF
Would I wed the fair DacotahH
That our tribes might be unitedH
That old feuds might be forgottenC
And old wounds be healed foreverF
-
Thus departed HiawathaG
To the land of the DacotahsI
To the land of handsome womenC
Striding over moor and meadowH
Through interminable forestsI
Through uninterrupted silenceI
-
With his moccasins of magicP
At each stride a mile he measuredH
Yet the way seemed long before himD
And his heart outran his footstepsI
And he journeyed without restingA
Till he heard the cataract's laughterF
Heard the Falls of MinnehahaJ
Calling to him through the silenceI
Pleasant is the sound he murmuredH
Pleasant is the voice that calls meQ
-
On the outskirts of the forestsI
'Twixt the shadow and the sunshineC
Herds of fallow deer were feedingA
But they saw not HiawathaG
To his bow be whispered Fail notH
To his arrow whispered Swerve notH
Sent it singing on its errandH
To the red heart of the roebuckR
Threw the deer across his shoulderF
And sped forward without pausingA
-
At the doorway of his wigwamO
Sat his ancient Arrow makerF
In the land of the DacotahsI
Making arrow heads of jasperF
Arrow heads of chalcedonyQ
At his side in all her beautyQ
Sat the lovely MinnehahaJ
Sat his daughter Laughing WaterF
Plaiting mats of flags and rushesI
Of the past the old man's thoughts wereF
And the maiden's of the futureF
-
He was thinking as he sat thereS
Of the days when with such arrowsI
He had struck the deer and bisonC
On the Muskoday the meadowH
Shot the wild goose flying southwardH
On the wing the clamorous WawaT
Thinking of the great war partiesI
How they came to buy his arrowsI
Could not fight without his arrowsI
Ah no more such noble warriorsI
Could be found on earth as they wereF
Now the men were all like womenC
Only used their tongues for weaponsI
-
She was thinking of a hunterF
From another tribe and countryQ
Young and tall and very handsomeU
Who one morning in the Spring timeV
Came to buy her father's arrowsI
Lingered long about the doorwayT
Sat and rested in the wigwamO
Looking back as he departedH
She had heard her father praise himD
Praise his courage and his wisdomU
Would he come again for arrowsI
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 branchesI
And with glowing cheek and foreheadH
With the deer upon his shouldersI
Suddenly from out the woodlandsI
Hiawatha stood before themX
-
Straight the ancient Arrow makerF
Looked up gravely from his laborF
Laid aside the unfinished arrowH
Bade him enter at the doorwayT
Saying as he rose to meet himD
Hiawatha you are welcomeU
-
At the feet of Laughing WaterF
Hiawatha laid his burdenC
Threw the red deer from his shouldersI
And the maiden looked up at himD
Looked up from her mat of rushesI
Said with gentle look and accentH
You are welcome HiawathaG
-
Very spacious was the wigwamO
Made of deer skins dressed and whitenedH
With the Gods of the DacotahsI
Drawn and painted on its curtainsI
And so tall the doorway hardlyQ
Hiawatha stooped to enterF
Hardly touched his eagle feathersI
As he entered at the doorwayT
-
Then uprose the Laughing WaterF
From the ground fair MinnehahaJ
Laid aside her mat unfinishedH
Brought forth food and set before themX
Water brought them from the brookletH
Gave them food in earthen vesselsI
Gave them drink in bowls of bass woodH
Listened while the guest was speakingA
Listened while her father answeredH
But not once her lips she openedH
Not a single word she utteredH
-
Yes as in a dream she listenedH
To the words of HiawathaG
As he talked of old NokomisI
Who had nursed him in his childhoodH
As he told of his companionsI
Chibiabos the musicianC
And the very strong man KwasindH
And of happiness and plentyH
In the land of the OjibwaysI
In the pleasant land and peacefulK
-
After many years of warfareS
Many years of strife and bloodshedH
There is peace between the OjibwaysI
And the tribe of the DacotahsI
Thus continued HiawathaG
And then added speaking slowlyH
'That this peace may last foreverF
And our hands be clasped more closelyH
And our hearts be more unitedH
Give me as my wife this maidenC
Minnehaha Laughing WaterF
Loveliest of Dacotah womenC
-
And the ancient Arrow makerF
Paused a moment ere he answeredH
Smoked a little while in silenceI
Looked at Hiawatha proudlyH
Fondly looked at Laughing WaterF
And made answer very gravelyH
Yes if Minnehaha wishesI
Let your heart speak MinnehahaJ
-
And the lovely Laughing WaterF
Seemed more lovely as she stood thereS
Neither willing nor reluctantH
As she went to HiawathaG
Softly took the seat beside himD
While she said and blushed to say itH
I will follow you my husbandH
-
This was Hiawatha's wooingA
Thus it was he won the daughterF
Of the ancient Arrow makerF
In the land of the DacotahsI
-
From the wigwam he departedH
Leading with him Laughing WaterF
Hand in hand they went togetherF
Through the woodland and the meadowH
Left the old man standing lonelyH
At the doorway of his wigwamO
Heard the Falls of MinnehahaJ
Calling to them from the distanceI
Crying to them from afar offY
Fare thee well O MinnehahaJ
-
And the ancient Arrow makerF
Turned again unto his laborF
Sat down by his sunny doorwayT
Murmuring to himself and sayingA
Thus it is our daughters leave usI
Those we love and those who love usI
Just when they have learned to help usI
When we are old and lean upon themX
Comes a youth with flaunting feathersI
With his flute of reeds a strangerF
Wanders piping through the villageZ
Beckons to the fairest maidenC
And she follows where he leads herF
Leaving all things for the strangerF
-
Pleasant was the journey homewardH
Through interminable forestsI
Over meadow over mountainC
Over river hill and hollowH
Short it seemed to HiawathaG
Though they journeyed very slowlyH
Though his pace he checked and slackenedH
To the steps of Laughing WaterF
-
Over wide and rushing riversI
In his arms he bore the maidenC
Light he thought her as a featherF
As the plume upon his head gearA2
Cleared the tangled pathway for herF
Bent aside the swaT

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow



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