Pocahontas In Poetry

I was meant to write this post after the wonderful discussion we had on Friday about what we talked in class and how Pocahontas was depicted in the form of poetry. Fall break was way too exciting so this post waited until today to be published. However, when I went back and read the poems again today, new thoughts and feelings in addition to those I had in class on Friday came to mind. I have shared my blog with my host mom and dad Alan and Dorene Wernke over the weekend and I received some very useful and great comments about it. Right now writing posts on this blog has changed from an obligation for doing well in class to a platform that I can freely express my thoughts towards the reading assignments or anythings that is somehow related to class, which I begin to enjoy.

In the poem Pocahontas to her English husband, John Rolfe, by Paula Gunn Allen, the author uses first person narrative and expresses through the mouth of Pocahontas herself. Below the title, there is a short paragraph by Charles Larson. Larson said that "In a way then, Pocahontas was a kind of traitor to her people" because "once she was free to do what she wanted, she avoided her own people like the plague".  I don't agree with him completely, but it brings another point of view towards Pocahontas, who usually was praised among people. In this poem Pocahontas seems to be somewhat arrogant and controllable.
            
"Had I not cradle you in my arms/oh beloved perfidious one/ you would have died...Had I not set you tasks/ your masters far across the sea/would have abandoned you..And indeed I rescue you..I spoke little, you said/And you listen less..."     

Larson also said that" Pocahontas was a white dream -- a dream of cultural superiority."
   
This brings back to one of the comments/ questions Alan said to me: What about exploring the racial boundary’s, and love. Is it true that " True love sees no color”?

Clearly from this poem there is no affection between Pocahontas and John Rolfe. And no evidence from historical record saying that she had once loved John Rolfe. According to Larson, she married him in order to seek "superiority", and clearly she succeeded. Whether she married Rolfe with affection or not, she gained her status by entering the English royal family. I still believe that she did it partially because that wanted to establish a peaceful relationship between her culture and the western English culture. Of course there is so much more to elaborate and explore. I will come back to his later when I have more time.