Indian
Early in Emerson’s poem the word Indian does actually appear in phrase: “the Indian cheer,” though even with capitalization it feels more adjective than real presence. A contemporary reader might feel disconcerting moments later in the poem when the word tribe appears. First, the line—“For gardens of a finer race,”—then, sixty-five lines later—“When forests fall, and man is gone, / Over tribes and over times.” Precise meaning, as Emerson would probably have it, is somewhat obscure.
Song Language Music Naming Subjectivity Translation Emerson History Erasure[violence] 427 Child of the Bear Indian Words Intention Rivers Preservation Body[music] Thresholds Dialogues Water Return