Hiawatha sings

hiawatha book

I used to love the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and used be able to recite some of it.   Quite by accident I was reminded again of it after stumbling upon Mike Oldfields Incantations album (1978).  There is a wonderful track that uses part of this poem, sung  by Maddy Prior, whose voice  soars and swoops.  I’m unsure why the maker has used Van Gogh’s last painting as a focus…. but the music is wonderfully inspiring!

Death-Of-Minnehaha William de Leftwich Dodge 1892

Here’s the first part of this lengthy poem.  Hard to believe it was written in 1855!

Hiawatha’s Departure
from The Song of Hiawatha

By the shore of Gitchie Gumee, 
By the shining Big-Sea-Water, 
At the doorway of his wigwam, 
In the pleasant Summer morning, 
Hiawatha stood and waited. 
All the air was full of freshness, 
All the earth was bright and joyous, 
And before him through the sunshine, 
Westward toward the neighboring forest 
Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo, 
Passed the bees, the honey-makers, 
Burning, singing in the sunshine. 
Bright above him shown the heavens, 
Level spread the lake before him; 
From its bosom leaped the sturgeon, 
Aparkling, flashing in the sunshine; 
On its margin the great forest 
Stood reflected in the water, 
Every tree-top had its shadow, 
Motionless beneath the water. 
From the brow of Hiawatha 
Gone was every trace of sorrow, 
As the fog from off the water, 
And the mist from off the meadow. 
With a smile of joy and triumph, 
With a look of exultation, 
As of one who in a vision 
Sees what is to be, but is not, 
Stood and waited Hiawatha. 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

To read it in full here

Hiawatha book cover link