Womens writing

Women 's Writings INDIAN WOMAN 'S DEATH-SONG

The Indian Woman 's Death-Song is the sad , poignant poem which tell the story of an Indian woman who has left home with her child . She has run away from her husband who has abandoned her to be with another woman

DOWN a broad river of the western wilds ,Piercing thick forest glooms , a light canoe Swept with the current : fearful was the speed . Rose with the cataract 's thunder .-Yet within ,Proudly , and dauntlessly , and all alone ,Save that a babe lay sleeping at her

breast ,A woman stood . Upon her Indian brow (Penn Library

The poem begins with a vivid narration of that the Indian woman is aboard a canoe traveling in a river where the current was very swift This is a very dangerous place and time to be in . She is not alone , she has brought her child

Sat a strange gladness , and her dark hair wav 'd , As if triumphantly She press 'd her child ,In its bright slumber , to her beating heart , And lifted her sweet voice that rose awhile Above the sound of waters , high and clear ,Wafting a wild proud strain , her Song of Death (Penn Library

In spite of her seemingly dismal fate in the river , there is a silent sense of joy around her as she is able break free from the bondage living with a man who does not appreciate her at all . She is able to pick herself up and stand up for her own rights . In doing so , she giving the strong message that she has had enough , she does not deserve the way she is being treated and refuses to stay around longer for more neglect and abuse

Roll on !-my warrior 's eye hath look 'd upon another 'sace , And mine hath faded from his soul , as fades a moonbeam 's trace My shadow comes not o 'er his path , my whisper to his dream

He flings away the broken reed-roll swifter yet , thou stream (Penn Library

These lines in the poem reveal the reason why she has fled from home Her husband has left her for another woman . She wants to go as far as away as possible to escape from the memory of the pain of being betrayed

Roll swiftly to the Spirit 's land , thou mighty stream and free !Father of ancient waters , HYPERLINK "http /digital .library .upenn .edu /women /hemans /records /notes .html " \l "105-5 " 5 roll ! and bear our lives with thee !The weary bird that storms have toss 'd would seek the sunshine 's calm

And the deer that hath the arrow 's hurt flies to the woods of balm (Penn Library

The Indian woman feels that the only way to save herself from her failed relationship is for her life to end . She calls to the river to bring her quickly to the land of the spirits as she feels that it is only when she has passed on that she...