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    Shannon: A Poem of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
    Shannon: A Poem of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
    Shannon: A Poem of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
    Ebook106 pages50 minutes

    Shannon: A Poem of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

    By Campbell McGrath

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    About this ebook

    “An unexpected story and a gem of a book.”
    —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

    The incomparable Campbell McGrath, whom Outside magazine calls, “A writer who could help save poetry from academia and get the rest of us reading it again,” delivers an astounding work: Shannon, an epic poem that traces the remarkable journey of the youngest member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The Kansas City Star praises Shannon as, “A luminescent narrative…a myth of American character before its corruption,” and Campbell McGrath—Poet Laureate, Guggenheim Fellowship, Pushcart Prize, and three-time Academy of American Poets Prize winner—proves once again to be truly an “everyman poet” who channels the spirit of Walt Whitman in this lyrical adventure.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media
    Release dateMay 22, 2009
    ISBN9780061880131
    Shannon: A Poem of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
    Author

    Campbell McGrath

    Campbell McGrath is the author of nine previous books, eight of them available from Ecco Press. He has received numerous prestigious awards for his poetry, including a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant,” and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He has been published in the New York Times, Harper’s Magazine, the Paris Review, the New Yorker, Poetry, and Ploughshares, among other prominent publications, and his poetry is represented in dozens of anthologies. He teaches in the MFA program at Florida International University, and lives with his family in Miami Beach.

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    • 5/5
      Who finds this bodyBe it knownMy name is George Shannon& I bequeath my remainsTo seed this landWith American bonesThis poem tells the story of George Shannon. George Shannon was the youngest member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He was just 19 in 1804 when he became separated from the rest of the group and wandered in the Nebraska and South Dakota territories for 16 days. He followed the Missouri River attempting to catch up with the rest of the expedition. He had actually gotten ahead of the expedition - they were detained when dealing with local tribes they met along the river. When they found him he had nearly starved to death.Since Shannon did not keep a journal on the expedition McGrath has fictionalized his lost 16 days and included some information from the official journals of Lewis and Clark. I found the sections where Shannon was starting to hallucinate from lack of food very inventive. I liked this poem a lot - it was inventive, fun, sad and informative. Also a big plus in my book - there was a mention of the Kickapoo Indian tribe. My maternal great grandmother was Kickapoo Indian. Mentions of the Kickapoo are rare.

    Book preview

    Shannon - Campbell McGrath

    LEWIS AND CLARK

    AUGUST 26, 1804

    After jerking the meat killed yesterday and preparing the elk skins for a tow-rope we set out, leaving Shannon and Drouillard to hunt for the horses lost last night. Directed them to follow us, keeping on the high lands.

    Proceeded on. Passed a cliff of white & dark blue earth of 2 miles extent on the left shore and camped on a sand bar opposite the old village called Petite Arc. A small creek falls into the river 15 yds wide below the village on the same side. This village was built by an Indian Chief of the Maha nation by the name of Petite Arc (or Little Bow), displeased with the Great Chief of that nation (Black Bird). He separated with 200 men and built a village at this place. After his death the two villages joined together again.

    Appointed Patrick Gass Sergeant in place of Sergeant Floyd, deceased.

    Great quantities of grapes, plums of three kinds, 2 yellow, one of which is larger and one longer, and a 3rd kind round & red. All well-flavored, particularly the yellow sort.

    —WILLIAM CLARK,

    CAPTAIN, CORPS OF DISCOVERY

    AUGUST 27, 1804

    This morning the morning star much larger than common. Drouillard came up and informed that he could neither find Shannon nor the horses. He had walked all night. We sent Shields and J. Fields back to look for Shannon & the horses, with directions to keep on the hills to the Grand Calumet above the Niobrara River.

    We set sail under a gentle breeze from the S.E. At 7 miles passed a white clay marl or chalk bluff. This bluff is extensive. Beneath it we discovered stone resembling limestone encrusted with a glassy substance I took to be cobalt ore. Three miles above this bluff we set the prairie on fire, to let the Sioux know we wished to see them.

    At two o’clock an Indian swam to the pirogue, we landed & two others came. They were boys. They informed us that the Sioux were camped near. One Maha boy informed us his nation was gone to make peace with the Pawnee.

    We sent Sergeant Pryor & a Frenchman with the Interpreter Mr. Dorion to the camp to invite their Great Chiefs to a council at the Calumet Bluffs.

    We proceeded on 1 1/2 miles farther and camped on the starboard shore.

    —WILLIAM CLARK,

    CAPTAIN, CORPS OF DISCOVERY

    SHANNON

    1.

    It is a fine & open country in every aspect hereabouts.

    The very prairie, grasslands, thickets

    Or brakes along the several streams with elk

    & deer largely therein.

    Of those legendary buffalo first sighted

    & shot by J. Fields this week, alas

    None discovered by me as yet this day or last

    Whilst tracking runaway horses.

    Those two did flee as if unwilling ever to be caught

    But I came upon them at evening yesterday

    Drinking water in a sandy draw

    Well-trampled by hoof-marks dark as bruises

    Sure evidence of buffalo in great plenty.

    In the event the fugitives appeared

    Not unhappy at sight of me.

    Found their hobble ropes trailing

    Which I did retie forcefully

    Pleased as I am by this outcome.

    It was my hope to recover these horses

    & so demonstrate my worth

    In such regard to the Capts. generally—

    I do not misdoubt them, only certain statements

    Overheard among the company concerning

    My youth & stature as a hunter, which I deem false.

    Last time I did kill an elk buck yet R. Fields

    Brought in five deer to top it. So it was

    I importuned the Capts. to set me this errand

    Those Fields Brothers having done so

    Previously, nor did I aim to disappoint them.

    Why should youth count against a man

    In this Missouri country?

    Eighteen & years in the backwoods

    I am a better hunter than most back home

    & this a newer land

    Nor Capt. Lewis nor Clark

    Hoary greybeards

    Yet Pres. Jefferson saw fit to appoint them

    Command of this Expedition. Well

    It is done

    & the horses recovered at any rate

    By myself alone.

    Pres. Jefferson is a man much admired

    By Capt. Lewis, who frequently

    Recounts his love of the same hills Capt. Lewis knew

    As a boy in Virginia, rambling long

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