The Song Of Hiawatha Xxii: Hiawatha's Departure Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABACDEEFGAHF IAJFGBKB LKBKMFFNL DOHHHPQ CRCBCB BOCSCH BFCCTBFUFCOVI LOAFTTFVAF LWHEXXEX UUAEUECY CBEFC BUBLUF LAFFEOEZC A2FEEEAE SEEA2EAUBB OUFUUEOOOAAEF CA2AEE OAFEAF EUOAUOEFFUA B2EEOOC2OFA FEEO EFOOFFAAAFU FEFE UFEOOFAOA FCUCFU O CEFUUUFOEC FCOUEFE FED2

By the shore of Gitche GumeeA
By the shining Big Sea WaterB
At the doorway of his wigwamA
In the pleasant Summer morningC
Hiawatha stood and waitedD
All the air was full of freshnessE
All the earth was bright and joyousE
And before him through the sunshineF
Westward toward the neighboring forestG
Passed in golden swarms the AhmoA
Passed the bees the honey makersH
Burning singing In the sunshineF
-
Bright above him shone the heavensI
Level spread the lake before himA
From its bosom leaped the sturgeonJ
Sparkling flashing in the sunshineF
On its margin the great forestG
Stood reflected in the waterB
Every tree top had its shadowK
Motionless beneath the waterB
-
From the brow of HiawathaL
Gone was every trace of sorrowK
As the fog from off the waterB
As the mist from off the meadowK
With a smile of joy and triumphM
With a look of exultationF
As of one who in a visionF
Sees what is to be but is notN
Stood and waited HiawathaL
-
Toward the sun his hands were liftedD
Both the palms spread out against itO
And between the parted fingersH
Fell the sunshine on his featuresH
Flecked with light his naked shouldersH
As it falls and flecks an oak treeP
Through the rifted leaves and branchesQ
-
O'er the water floating flyingC
Something in the hazy distanceR
Something in the mists of morningC
Loomed and lifted from the waterB
Now seemed floating now seemed flyingC
Coming nearer nearer nearerB
-
Was it Shingebis the diverB
Or the pelican the ShadaO
Or the heron the Shuh shuh gahC
Or the white goose Waw be wawaS
With the water dripping flashingC
From its glossy neck and feathersH
-
It was neither goose nor diverB
Neither pelican nor heronF
O'er the water floating flyingC
Through the shining mist of morningC
But a birch canoe with paddlesT
Rising sinking on the waterB
Dripping flashing in the sunshineF
And within it came a peopleU
From the distant land of WabunF
From the farthest realms of morningC
Came the Black Robe chief the ProphetO
He the Priest of Prayer the Pale faceV
With his guides and his companionsI
-
And the noble HiawathaL
With his hands aloft extendedO
Held aloft in sign of welcomeA
Waited full of exultationF
Till the birch canoe with paddlesT
Grated on the shining pebblesT
Stranded on the sandy marginF
Till the Black Robe chief the Pale faceV
With the cross upon his bosomA
Landed on the sandy marginF
-
Then the joyous HiawathaL
Cried aloud and spake in this wiseW
'Beautiful is the sun O strangersH
When you come so far to see usE
All our town in peace awaits youX
All our doors stand open for youX
You shall enter all our wigwamsE
For the heart's right hand we give youX
-
'Never bloomed the earth so gaylyU
Never shone the sun so brightlyU
As to day they shine and blossomA
When you come so far to see usE
Never was our lake so tranquilU
Nor so free from rocks and sand barsE
For your birch canoe in passingC
Has removed both rock and sand barY
-
'Never before had our tobaccoC
Such a sweet and pleasant flavorB
Never the broad leaves of our cornfieldsE
Were so beautiful to look onF
As they seem to us this morningC
When you come so far to see us '-
-
And the Black Robe chief made answerB
Stammered In his speech a littleU
Speaking words yet unfamiliarB
'Peace be with you HiawathaL
Peace be with you and your peopleU
Peace of prayer and peace of pardonF
Peace of Christ and joy of Mary '-
-
Then the generous HiawathaL
Led the strangers to his wigwamA
Seated them on skins of bisonF
Seated them on skins of ermineF
And the careful old NokomisE
Brought them food in bowls of basswoodO
Water brought in birchen dippersE
And the calumet the peace pipeZ
Filled and lighted for their smokingC
-
All the old men of the villageA2
All the warriors of the nationF
All the Jossakeeds the ProphetsE
The magicians the WabenosE
And the Medicine men the MedasE
Came to bid the strangers welcomeA
'It is well' they said 'O brothersE
That you come so far to see us '-
-
In a circle round the doorwayS
With their pipes they sat In silenceE
Waiting to behold the strangersE
Waiting to receive their messageA2
Till the Black Robe chief the Pale faceE
From the wigwam came to greet themA
Stammering in his speech a littleU
Speaking words yet unfamiliarB
'It Is well ' they said 'O brotherB
That you come so far to see us '-
-
Then the Black Robe chief the ProphetO
Told his message to the peopleU
Told the purport of his missionF
Told them of the Virgin MaryU
And her blessed Son the SaviourU
How in distant lands and agesE
He had lived on earth as we doO
How he fasted prayed and laboredO
How the Jews the tribe accursedO
Mocked him scourged him crucified himA
How he rose from where they laid himA
Walked again with his disciplesE
And ascended into heavenF
-
And the chiefs made answer sayingC
'We have listened to your messageA2
We have heard your words of wisdomA
We will think on what you tell usE
It is well for us O brothersE
That you come so far to see us '-
-
Then they rose up and departedO
Each one homeward to his wigwamA
To the young men and the womenF
Told the story of the strangersE
Whom the Master of Life had sent themA
From the shining land of WabunF
-
Heavy with the heat and silenceE
Grew the afternoon of SummerU
With a drowsy sound the forestO
Whispered round the sultry wigwamA
With a sound of sleep the waterU
Rippled on the beach below itO
From the cornfields shrill and ceaselessE
Sang the grasshopper Pah puk keenaF
And the guests of HiawathaF
Weary with the heat of SummerU
Slumbered in the sultry wigwamA
-
Slowly o'er the simmering landscapeB2
Fell the evening's dusk and coolnessE
And the long and level sunbeamsE
Shot their spears into the forestO
Breaking through its shields of shadowO
Rushed into each secret ambushC2
Searched each thicket dingle hollowO
Still the guests of HiawathaF
Slumbered In the silent wigwamA
-
From his place rose HiawathaF
Bade farewell to old NokomisE
Spake in whispers spake in this wiseE
Did not wake the guests that slumberedO
-
'I am going O NokomisE
On a long and distant journeyF
To the portals of the SunsetO
To the regions of the home windO
Of the Northwest Wind KeewaydinF
But these guests I leave behind meF
In your watch and ward I leave themA
See that never harm comes near themA
See that never fear molests themA
Never danger nor suspicionF
Never want of food or shelterU
In the lodge of Hiawatha '-
-
Forth into the village went heF
Bade farewell to all the warriorsE
Bade farewell to all the young menF
Spake persuading spake in this wiseE
-
I am going O my peopleU
On a long and distant journeyF
Many moons and many wintersE
Will have come and will have vanishedO
Ere I come again to see youO
But my guests I leave behind meF
Listen to their words of wisdomA
Listen to the truth they tell youO
For the Master of Life has sent themA
From the land of light and morning '-
-
On the shore stood HiawathaF
Turned and waved his hand at partingC
On the clear and luminous waterU
Launched his birch canoe for sailingC
From the pebbles of the marginF
Shoved it forth into the waterU
Whispered to it 'Westward westward '-
And with speed it darted forwardO
-
And the evening sun descendingC
Set the clouds on fire with rednessE
Burned the broad sky like a prairieF
Left upon the level waterU
One long track and trail of splendorU
Down whose stream as down a riverU
Westward westward HiawathaF
Sailed into the fiery sunsetO
Sailed into the purple vaporsE
Sailed into the dusk of eveningC
-
And the people from the marginF
Watched him floating rising sinkingC
Till the birch canoe seemed liftedO
High into that sea of splendorU
Till it sank into the vaporsE
Like the new moon slowly slowlyF
Sinking in the purple distanceE
-
And they said 'Farewell forever '-
Said 'Farewell O Hiawatha '-
And the forests dark and lonelyF
Moved through all their depths of darknessE
SighD2

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow



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