Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-14
1loetileal.

,dv that is interested with poetry will do themse
reading this English criticism Of Hiawatha.
From Punch.
The Song of Hiawatha.
AN ENGLISH CRITICISM.
You who hold in grace and honor.
Hold, as one who did you kindness
When he published former poems,
Sang Evangeline the noble,
Sang the golden Golden Legend,
Sang the song the Voices utter,
Crying in the night and darkness,
Sang how unto the Red Planet
Mars he gave the Nights First Watches
Henry Wadsworth, whose ABDOMEN
Coming awkward for the accents,
Into this his latest rhythm)
Write we as Protractcd Fellow,
Or in Latin, LoSCUs CONES
Buy the Song of Hiawathar
Should you ask me, Is the poem
Worthy Of its predecessors,
Worthy Of the sweet conceptions,
OF the manly nervous diction,
of the phrase, concise or plant,
OF the songs that sped the pulses,
OF the songs that gemmed the eyelash,
OF the other works of Henryl
I should answer, should tell you,
You may wish that you may get it
Don't you wish that you may get it
Should you ask me, Is it worthless,
Is it bosh and is it bunkum,
Merely facile flowing nonsense,
Easy to pracliced rhythmist,
Fit to charm private circle,
But not worth the print and paper
David Bogue hath here expended
/ should answer, should tell you,
YOU'RE fool, and most presamptuous.
Hath not Henry Wadsworth writ it
Hath not pUNCn commanded 81 Buy it,
Should you ask me, What's its nature
Ask me what's the kind Of poem!
Ask me in respectful language,
Touching your respectful beaver,
Kicking back your manly hind-leg,
Like to one who sees his betters;
I should answer, should tell you,
IT'S poem in this metre,
And cmbalming the traditions,
Fables, rites and supersttions,
legends, charms and ceremonas
Of the various tribes of Indians,
From the land Of the Qjibways,
From the land of tho Dac0tahs,
From the mountains, mOors and fenlands,
Where the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah.
Finds its sugar in the PUSHES:
From the fast-decaying nations,
Which our gentle Uncle Samuel
Is improving very smartly,
From the face of all creation,
OF the face of all creation.
Should you ask me, By what story,
BY what action, plot OF fiction,
All these matters are connected
I should answer, should tell you,
Go to Bogue and buy the poem,
Published neatly, at one shilling,
Published sweety at five shillings.
Should you ask me, Is there music
In the structure of the verses,
In the names and in the phrases?
Pleading that, like weaver Bottom,
You prefer your ears well tickled;
l should answer, should tell you,
Henry's verse is very charming;
And for names--there's Hiawatha,
Who's the hero Of The poem
Mudjeekeewis, that's the West Wind,
Hiawatha's graceless father;
There's Noiomis, there's Wcnonah--
Ladies both, of various merit;
Puggawangpm, that's war-club,
Pau-puk-keeWis, hs's dandy,
Barred with streaks Of red and yellow
And the women and the mailcns
Love the handsome nau-puk- keewisi
Tracing in him PUNCH's likeness.
chen there's lovely Mnnchaha--
Pretty name with pretty meaning
1t implies the Laughing water;
And the darling Minnehaha
Married noble Hiawath.;
And her story's far too touching
To be sport for you, you donkey,
With your ears like weaver Bottoms,
Ears like BOBBY Bully Bottom.
Once upon time in London,
In the days of the Lyceum,
Ages ere keen Arnold lei it
To the dreadful Northern Wizard.
Ages ere the buoyant Mathews
Tripped upon its boards in briskness--
remember, remember
How scribe, with pen Chiyalfous,
Tried to save these Indian stories
From the fate of chill oblivion.
Out came sundry comic Indians
OF the tribe of Kut-an-hack kun.
With their Chief, the clean Etmatthews,
With the growing Downy Beaver,
With the valiant Monkeys Uncle,
Came the gracious Mar-kee-lee,
Firing Off pocket-pistol,
Singing, too, that MGdjee-keewis
Shortened in the song to "Wiid Wind"l
Was spirit very kindly.
Came her Sire, the joyous Kee-lee,
By the waning tribe adopted,
Named the Buffalo, and welded
To the fairest of the madens,
But repented of his bargain,
And his brother kut-an-hack-ums
Very nearly chopped his toes off
Serve him right, the tickle Kee-ee.
If you ask me, What this memory
Hath to do with Hiawatha,
should answer, should tell YOU,
You're fool, and most presumptuous
IT'S not for such humble cattle
To inquire what links and unions
Join the thoughts, and mystic meanings,
OF their betters, mighty poets,
Mighty writers--PUNCH the highest,
l should answer, should tell you,
David, Mr.. Punch's ueghbor,
Buy the song of Hiawatha,
Read and learn, and then be thankful
Unto Punch and Henry Wadsworth,
Punch and noble Henry Wadsworth,
Truer poet, better fellow,
Than to be annoyed at TESTING,