Customer Reviews

Shannon: A Poem of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

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Surely there have been countless words written about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but for this reader none could be as trenchant and affecting as this narrative poem by Campbell McGrath. Rather than painting a large picture of the Expedition McGrath has chosen to focus on one incident in the life of one soldier, which make the author's words all the more compelling. The soldier is Private George Shannon, the youngest member of the group.

The author introduces his poem with two journal entries by William Clark dated August 26 and 27, 1804. In the first he notes that Shannon and another soldier (Drouillard) have been left behind to find horses that were lost during the night and then they were to follow the other soldiers. The second entry reveals Drouillard reported the next morning that he could not find Shannon or the horses.

Thus begins Shannon's lonely 16 day odyssey through the prairie as he searches for his fellow soldiers and battles starvation. His ammunition and provisions had run out. There was meat aplenty but he had nothing with which to kill it. As it happened, Shannon believed he was following his comrades but he was actually ahead of them, and they were eventually reunited.

What we now have are Shannon's imagined thoughts during his unimaginable journey. Obviously, he is not part of any official record as he was missing for some length of time but McGrath proves a powerful voice for the young American who sees our country's early frontier as it once was and entertains thoughts of God, his personal place in the universe, his family, and the girl he left behind.

Shannon is a remarkably insightful work of great beauty.

Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke

Campbell McGrath is one of my favorite poets and I have read all of his published works. This is one of his very best. I was intrigued to learn of his subject matter for this book because McGrath is most associated with commentary on contemporary culture. But then it became obvious - he is using both contemporary and historical settings to examine the uniquely American spirit which fascinates him.

The poem is completely engrossing, largely due to the engaging 'voice' of Shannon the narrator. McGrath has given him a personality which reflects his intelligence and his concern for his role in family, religion, the Lewis and Clark expedition, the countryside he traverses, and the society in which he lived. It is very convincing and makes the poem extremely enjoyable to read, leaving a lasting impression of Shannon and the world in which he lived.

Very highly recommended!