17.  Crooknecks:  Crookneck squashes.

19.  Ole queen’s-arm:  The old musket brought from the Concord fight in 1775.

32.  To draw a straight furrow when plowing is regarded as evidence of a skilful farmer.

36.  All is:  The truth is, “all there is about it.”

37.  Long o’ her:  Along of her, on account of her.

40.  South slope:  The slope of a hill facing south catches the spring sunshine.

43.  Ole Hunderd:  Old Hundred is one of the most familiar of the old hymn tunes.

58.  Somewhat doubtful as to the sequel.

94.  Bay o’ Fundy:  The Bay of Fundy is remarkable for its high and violent tides, owing to the peculiar conformation of its banks.

96.  Was cried:  The “bans” were cried, the announcement of the engagement in the church, according to the custom of that day.

THE COMMEMORATION ODE

The poem was dedicated “To the ever sweet and shining memory of the ninety-three sons of Harvard College who have died for their country in the war of nationality.”  The text of the poem is here given as Lowell first published it in 1865.  He afterward made a few verbal changes, and added one new strophe after the eighth.  There is a special interest in studying the ode in the form in which it came rushing from the poet’s brain.

1-14.  The deeds of the poet are weak and trivial compared with the deeds of heroes.  They live their high ideals and die for them.  Yet the gentle words of the poet may sometimes save unusual lives from that oblivion to which all common lives are destined.

5.  Robin’s-leaf:  An allusion to the ballad of the Babes in the Wood.

9.  Squadron-strophes:  The term strophe originally was applied to a metrical form that was repeated in a certain established way, like the strophe and antistrophe of the Greek ode, as sung by a divided chorus; it is now applied to any stanza form.  The poem of heroism is a “battle-ode,” whose successive stanzas are marching squadrons, whose verses are lines of blazing guns, and whose melody is the strenuous music of “trump and drum.”

13.  Lethe’s dreamless ooze:  Lethe is the river of oblivion in Hades; its slimy depths of forgetfulness are not even disturbed by dreams.

14.  Unventurous throng:  The vast majority of commonplace beings who neither achieve nor attempt deeds of “high emprise.”

16.  Wisest Scholars:  Many students who had returned from the war were in the audience, welcomed back by their revered mother, their Alma Mater.

20.  Peddling:  Engaging in small, trifling interests.  Lowell’s attitude toward science is that of Wordsworth, when he speaks of the dry-souled scientist as one who is all eyes and no heart, “One that would peep and botanize Upon his mother’s grave.”

21.  The pseudo-science of astrology, seeking to tell commonplace fortunes by the stars.