Anacaona - poem by Alfred Tennyson

ANACAONA A dark Indian [Taino] maiden, Warbling in the bloom'd liana, Stepping lightly flower-laden, By the crimson-eyed anana, Wantoning in orange groves Naked, and dark-limb'd, and gay, Bathing in the slumbrous coves, In the cocoa-shadow'd coves, Of sunbright Xaraguay, Who was so happy as Anacaona, The beauty of Espagnola, The golden flower of Hayti ? In the purple island, Crown'd with garlands of cinchona, Lady over wood and highland, The Indian queen, Anacaona. Dancing on Uic blossomy plain To a woodland melody : Playing with the scarlet crane, The dragon-fly and scarlet crane, Beneath the papao tree ! Happy, happy was Anacaona, The beauty of Espagnola, The golden flower of Hayti! Naked, without fear, moving To her Areyto's mellow ditty, Waving a palm branch, wondering, loving, Carolling "Happy, happy Hayti !" She gave the white men welcome all, With her damsels by the bay; For they were fair-faced and tall, They were more fair-faced and tall, Than the men of Xaraguay, And they smiled on Anacaona, The beauty of Espagnola, The golden flower of Hayti ! Following her wild carol She led them down the pleasant places, For they were kingly in apparel, Loftily stepping with fair faces. But never more upon the shore Dancing at the break of day, In the deep wood no more, —• By the deep sea no more, — No more in Xaraguay Wander'd happy Anacaona, The beauty of Espagnola, The golden flower of Hayti !

Source

• Tennyson, Alfred. edited by Tennyson, Hallam. (1916). New York: The Macmillan Company [1]. (p. XXI f.)

See also

• Bohechio - Cacique and brother of Anacaona.
• Nicolas de Ovando - The Spanish governor that had Anacaona killed.

External Links

• Wikipedia: Alfred Tennyson