CATAWBA WINE by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
Longfellow raises a glass to Catawba wine, a grape cultivated along the Ohio River near Cincinnati, claiming it outshines any famous European vintage.
The poem
This song of mine Is a Song of the Vine, To be sung by the glowing embers Of wayside inns, When the rain begins To darken the drear Novembers. It is not a song Of the Scuppernong, From warm Carolinian valleys, Nor the Isabel And the Muscadel That bask in our garden alleys. Nor the red Mustang, Whose clusters hang O'er the waves of the Colorado, And the fiery flood Of whose purple blood Has a dash of Spanish bravado. For richest and best Is the wine of the West, That grows by the Beautiful River; Whose sweet perfume Fills all the room With a benison on the giver. And as hollow trees Are the haunts of bees, For ever going and coming; So this crystal hive Is all alive With a swarming and buzzing and humming. Very good in its way Is the Verzenay, Or the Sillery soft and creamy; But Catawba wine Has a taste more divine, More dulcet, delicious, and dreamy. There grows no vine By the haunted Rhine, By Danube or Guadalquivir, Nor on island or cape, That bears such a grape As grows by the Beautiful River. Drugged is their juice For foreign use, When shipped o'er the reeling Atlantic, To rack our brains With the fever pains, That have driven the Old World frantic. To the sewers and sinks With all such drinks, And after them tumble the mixer; For a poison malign Is such Borgia wine, Or at best but a Devil's Elixir. While pure as a spring Is the wine I sing, And to praise it, one needs but name it; For Catawba wine Has need of no sign, No tavern-bush to proclaim it. And this Song of the Vine, This greeting of mine, The winds and the birds shall deliver To the Queen of the West, In her garlands dressed, On the banks of the Beautiful River.
Longfellow raises a glass to Catawba wine, a grape cultivated along the Ohio River near Cincinnati, claiming it outshines any famous European vintage. He highlights its natural sweetness and purity, contrasting it with the adulterated and overpriced wines that come from across the Atlantic. At its core, the poem is a heartfelt tribute to American nature and local pride, cleverly disguised as a drinking song.
Line-by-line
This song of mine / Is a Song of the Vine,
It is not a song / Of the Scuppernong,
Nor the red Mustang, / Whose clusters hang
For richest and best / Is the wine of the West,
And as hollow trees / Are the haunts of bees,
Very good in its way / Is the Verzenay,
There grows no vine / By the haunted Rhine,
Drugged is their juice / For foreign use,
To the sewers and sinks / With all such drinks,
While pure as a spring / Is the wine I sing,
And this Song of the Vine, / This greeting of mine,
Tone & mood
The tone remains festive and playful, with an undercurrent of heartfelt patriotic pride. Longfellow maintains a lightheartedness — the mock-outrage about European wine in the middle stanzas feels more like a comedian's rant than a serious complaint. By the end, the mood transforms into something almost tender, reflecting a true affection for the American landscape and its produce.
Symbols & metaphors
- The Beautiful River — Longfellow's name for the Ohio River, which runs alongside Cincinnati, symbolizes the American West as a land of natural richness and opportunity — a New World equivalent to the Rhine or the Danube.
- Borgia wine / Devil's Elixir — These labels for tainted European imports highlight corruption, deceit, and the excesses of the Old World. The Borgias are often associated with poison in popular lore, making this comparison a dramatic way to warn: this stuff is dangerous.
- The beehive — The image of hollow trees filled with buzzing bees represents the vibrant, natural essence of Catawba wine — reflecting an organic, communal, and industrious spirit rather than something artificial or mass-produced.
- The tavern-bush — A branch hung outside an inn to promote wine for sale. Longfellow uses this imagery to suggest that Catawba doesn't need marketing — its reputation speaks for itself. It transforms into a symbol of genuine, effortless quality.
- The Queen of the West — A well-known nickname for Cincinnati from the 19th century. In this context, it represents American civic pride and the vibrant culture of the Midwest, the place Longfellow honors in his song.
Historical context
Longfellow published this poem in 1854, right when American viticulture was thriving around Cincinnati. Nicholas Longworth, an enterprising local figure, had turned the Catawba grape into a hit and was making sparkling wine that some even compared to Champagne. As a friend of Longworth's, Longfellow wrote this poem partly as a nod to him. The larger cultural backdrop is important too: mid-19th-century America was grappling with its national identity and questioning whether American culture could stand alongside Europe's. A poem that claims an Ohio grape is better than the finest from the Rhine adds a small yet pointed voice to that discussion. Around this time, the temperance movement was also on the rise, making Longfellow's upbeat celebration of wine a bit countercultural.
FAQ
Catawba is a native American grape variety that was widely grown around Cincinnati in the mid-1800s. Longfellow wrote the poem to honor his friend Nicholas Longworth, who established a successful wine business using this grape. The poem serves as a celebration, an advertisement, and a patriotic declaration.
It is the Ohio River. The French called it 'La Belle Rivière' (the Beautiful River), and that name has stuck in popular usage. Cincinnati is located on its northern bank, and the Catawba vineyards that Longfellow admired were in this area.
It was a popular nickname for Cincinnati in the 19th century, capturing the city's swift expansion and cultural aspirations. Longfellow dedicates his song to the city at the end of the poem, transforming a drinking song into a toast for the community.
The Borgia family from Renaissance Italy is often remembered in popular legends for their penchant for poisoning rivals. Longfellow uses their name as a quick reference to something toxic and corrupt. While he’s exaggerating for comedic effect, there were genuine worries in the 19th century that wines shipped to America were tampered with additives to withstand the lengthy sea journey.
A tavern-bush refers to a branch or bunch of greenery displayed outside an inn to indicate that wine is for sale — a tradition from Europe. Longfellow suggests that Catawba wine doesn’t need this kind of advertisement because its quality speaks for itself. Essentially, he implies that the wine markets itself.
Each stanza has an AABCCB pattern, featuring short lines with two stresses alternating with longer lines that have three stresses. This lively, song-like rhythm highlights the poem's nature as a drinking song — it's easy to picture it being chanted or sung around a fire, just like the scene Longfellow sets in the opening stanza.
Both aspects, honestly. There's a real sense of patriotic pride in American wine and landscape, and the tribute to Longworth feels heartfelt. However, the mock-outrage about European imports, the Borgia reference, and the exaggerated praise ('dulcet, delicious, and dreamy') are definitely meant to be playful. Longfellow knew how to enjoy himself, and this poem captures that spirit.
He mentions the Scuppernong from the Carolinas, the Isabel and Muscadel garden varieties, and the Mustang from Texas. By exploring American grape varieties and briefly dismissing each one before settling on Catawba, he creates a sense of competition, making his final choice feel like a well-considered tasting. This approach also highlights his understanding of American geography and agriculture.