Show longfellow ON EMERSON funny fanny twist which he gave to the verse verce of hi bla friend in the first number of the atlantic monthly anthly forty years ago ralph waldo emerson had a poem called brahma which puzzled both critics and common readers sa says the hartford courant some said it was the greatest poem of the century some said it was nonsense the first verse ran as follows it the red slayer thinks he slays or if the slain think he is slain they know not well the subtle ways I 1 keep the and turn again that winter it happened that a relative odthe of the poet longfellow living in another state bought a sleigh and in a family letter to the cousins in cambridge there was a wail lest the january thaw which had followed the purchase should keep heep them from enjoying the gay cutter that season when the letter was answered longfellow contributed this verse which has we believe never been printed to 70 I 1 on the purchase e of a sleigh if the red thinks he sleighs or if the sleighing sleigh in thinks it is sleigh in they know not well the ways of sinda snow that comes and goes again 11 it is delightful to find longfellow parodying paro dying his friend emerson |