Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp · Chapter
Who's That Calling So Sweet? explained
A reflective poem about a mysterious, sweet calling heard on the prairie.
What happens
A reflective poem about a mysterious, sweet calling heard on the prairie. The speaker initially attributes the sound to the wind or birds, but ultimately realizes it is the voices of loved ones from across the seas, evoking a deep sense of longing and nostalgia.
Themes in this chapter
Nostalgia and Loss
The speaker's longing for distant loved ones is the central emotion, as the calling is revealed to be the voices of those far away.
Solitude and Reflection
The quiet prairie setting and the speaker's solitary contemplation of the sound emphasize themes of loneliness and introspection.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The speaker who hears the mysterious calling and reflects on its source.
Key passages
“Who’s That Calling So Sweet?”
Who is making that sweet call?
The repeated question sets up the poem's central mystery.
“’Twas the wind a-sighing in the prairie grass”
It was the wind sighing through the prairie grass.
The speaker first considers a natural explanation for the sound.
“’Twas loved ones’ voices from far off across the seas”
It was the voices of loved ones from far away across the ocean.
The speaker concludes the calling is the voices of distant family, evoking deep nostalgia.