Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-07-02
The Poetry Of the Indians.

/ HARRY w. DUNN.
! The Poetry Of the Indians.
| Poetry has all too little been associ-
ated with the Indian. 1t seems utterly
out Of keeping with his rude and say
age nature. Yet it is known that the
I first literary instinct of a primitive
race finds expression in thought and
verse. Without inquiry. we have har-
bored the thought that the Indian, who
was once the noblcst type of savagery
! in existence, lacks not only the songs
but even the instinct.
| Evidences that Indians did possess a
poetic nature can be found in abund-
] ance. If we will only take notice Of
| them. "Messalonskee," "Kennebec."
! "Katahdin.' ring with music which
can never be forgotten. The meaning
of his names indicates power which
discerned and recognized the loveliness
OF nature, and pictured this loveliness
I in the names given 1t. ''Thundering
Waters" was Niagara" Laughing
| Water" was "Minnehaha," Rolling
Frairies" was Iowa" In the placid
mirror of "Winnepesogee" was re-
+, Elected the Smile OF the Great Spirit"
| Around these beauteous scenes of
nature in mystic wreaths were woven
those legends which point to a strong
creative faculty. Perhaps it was the
Indians love for his legends more than
| all else that gave him his remarkable
| ability for vivid expression. The fame
of the Indians in oratory is widely
; known.
| The beauty of their language. the
creative fancy of their legends. their
| power in using both. Indicate only
| faint slimmerinSs of the poetic in
| stinct in the Indian mind. Henry
| Schoolcraft in his researches among
the Indians. has revealed the startling
| fact that there actually existed poems
and songs among these wild and I'M
| cultured people Musical and magin-
| ative are the creations Of the Indian
mind.
Perhaps no poem in his collection
shows more beauty than the war cry
of the Sioux
The eagles scream on high.
They whet their forked beaks.
Raise raise the warrior cry,
tbs fame our leader seeks
The birds were to the Indians mes
sengers from on high who knew the |
destiny of good or evil.
Come We with messages sent from on
high
Warnings of what the wild heaven shall
pour;
Whirlwinds. tornadoes, or pestilence Nigh |
Wailing starvation or death on our |
shore. |
The unseen Spirit received warm |
affection from the Indian. He longed |
to please this Great Spirit and his
longing voiced a prayer.
Ever let pety
Be the rule of our lives,
The Great Spirit alone
Alone let us love.
All evil living of mankind,
All, let us all forSalke.
dian strove to express what appealed
TO him as right living.
These are the productions of race
which has been considered too british
in nature to utter more than detached
fragments of sentences. Are these
passages incoherent? The sound of
true poetry rings in every line and
chimes in every word. Whatever may
be the Indians destiny. may his poetry
be cherished as one indication that his
savage mind possessed some gems of
civilization.
MARTHA c. MESERVE.
Tcnn)son as a Teacher.
Life is a school, and every wise man
is an earnest and conscientious stu
dent through all his days. The trite-
ness of this statement and the readi-
hess with which we admit it's truth.
increase the danger that we shall neg
lect its practical application and for
get its great Importance
To the thoughtful student. the future
appears as maze of unexplorcd WIS., :