Selections from American poetry Part 40

49. Santee: a river in South Carolina.

32. throes: agony.

44. Compare this final thought with the solution in "To a "Waterfowl."

THE CROWDED STREET

32. throes: agony

44. Compare this final thought with the solution in "To a Waterfowl."

THE SNOW-SHOWER

All the New England poets felt the charm of falling snow, and several have written on the theme. In connection with this poem read Emerson's "Snow-Storm" and Whittier's "The Frost Spirit." The best known of all is Whittier's "Snow-Bound "; the first hundred and fifty lines may well be read here.

9. living swarm: like a swarm of bees from the hidden chambers of the hive.

12. p.r.o.ne: straight down.

17. snow-stars: what are the shapes of snowflakes

20. Milky way: the white path which seems to lead acre. The sky at night and which is composed of millions of stars.

21. burlier: larger and stronger.

35. myriads: vast, indefinite number.

37. middle: as the cloud seems to be between us and the blue sky, so the snowflakes before they fell occupied a middle position.

ROBERT of LINCOLN

"Robert of Lincoln" is the happiest, merriest poem written by Bryant. It is characteristic of the man that it should deal with a nature topic. In what ways does he secure the merriment?

a.n.a.lyze each stanza as to structure. Does the punctuation help to indicate the speaker?

Look up the Bobolink in the Bird Guide or some similar book. How much actual information did Bryant have about the bird? Compare the amount of bird-lore given here with that of Sh.e.l.ley's or Wordsworth's "To a Skylark." Which is more poetic? Which interests you more?

THE POET

5. deem: consider. Compare with the use in the "Song of Marion's Men,"

1.21.

8. wreak: carry them out in your verse. The word usually has an angry idea a.s.sociated with it. The suggestion may be here of the frenzy of a poet.

26. unaptly: not suitable to the occasion.

30. Only in a moment of great emotion (rapture) should the poet revise a poem which was penned when his heart was on fire with the idea of the poem.

38. limn: describe vividly.

54. By this test where would you place Bryant himself? Did he do what he here advises? In what poems do you see evidences of such a method?

Compare your idea of him with Lowell's estimate in "A Fable for Critics,"

ll. 35-56.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

In connection with this poem the following stanza from "The Battle-Field"

seems very appropriate:

"Truth, crushed to Earth, s.h.i.+ll rise again; The eternal years of G.o.d are hers; But Error, wounded, writhes with pain, And dies among his wors.h.i.+ppers."

The American people certainly felt that Truth was Brushed to Earth with Lincoln's death, but believed that it would triumph.

FRANCIS SCOTT KEY (1780-1843)

Born in Maryland, he graduated from St. John's College, Md., and practiced law in Frederick City, Md. He was district attorney for the District of Columbia during the War of 1812 and while imprisoned by the British on board the s.h.i.+p Minden, Sept. 13, 1814, he witnessed the British attack on Fort McHenry and wrote this national anthem.

THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER

30. Why is this mentioned as our motto?

JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE (1795-1820)

The "Culprit Fay" is so much better than American poetry had previously been that one is at first disposed to speak of it enthusiastically. An obvious comparison puts it in true perspective. Drake's life happened nearly to coincide with that of Keats.... Amid the full fervor of European experience Keats produced immortal work; Drake, whose whole life was pa.s.sed amid the national inexperience of New York, produced only pretty fancies."

--BARRETT WENDELL.

Born in New York, he practiced medicine there. He died of tuberculosis at the age of twenty-five, and left behind him ma.n.u.script verses which were later published by his daughter. "The Culprit Fay," from which selections are here given, is generally considered one of the best productions of early American literature.

THE AMERICAN FLAG

6. milky baldric: the white band supposed by the ancients to circle the earth and called the zodiac. He may here mean the Milky Way as part of this band.

46. careering: rus.h.i.+ng swiftly.

47. bellied: rounded, filled out by the gale.