April Book Club - the Song of Hiawatha

For its April book, the book club set a precedent (we believe) by selecting a poem, in honor of Poetry Month. On April 21, eight of us met to discuss Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “The Song of Hiawatha,” a retelling/ reimagining of some Native American legends. We enjoyed its unusual rhythms (trochaic tetrameter), which propel the lines forward and also somewhat mimic the beat of an Indian chant. Longfellow’s language is rich in descriptions of nature, seasonal changes, and a culture in tune with its environment. We talked of the poet’s place in American literature, and the state of white/Native relations at the time. We expect to make a tradition of Poetry Month.