# Who's That Calling So Sweet? explained — Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp

> Chapter companion for Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp by John A. Lomax.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The speaker who hears the mysterious calling and reflects on its source.

## Key lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/who-s-that-calling-so-sweet
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters