a statue of Hannah Duston in Massachusetts (SeñorBrett)‘Hannah Duston’: A Poem by A.R. Pereira The Society April 11, 2025 Culture, Poetry 2 Comments . Hannah Duston She looms there, immortalized, in bronze gone blue, a puritan woman with crude hatchet cocked. Her stare is as cold as the New England dew, the blood of her captors still slick on her frock. Kidnapped and beaten, through the snow she was led, the head of her infant so callously threshed. By cover of night she collected her debt, and made her way home with a bounty of flesh. Now a granite plinth in the park bears her name, a tribute that some would see scalped of renown. But to all detractors, she offers her gaze, defiantly daring them: tear this one down. . . A.R. Pereira is an American poet, carpenter, and martial artist. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. ***Read Our Comments Policy Here*** 2 Responses Joseph S. Salemi April 11, 2025 I understand that the testicularly-deprived members of the city council of Haverhill (where the pictured statue stands) have decided to keep it, but to remove the hatchet. What a bunch of gutless wimps. The whole heroic point of the Duston story is that she killed and scalped the murderers of her infant. I am reminded of the fact that municipal officials in New York City, for the 1924 Democratic convention, ordered the beer stein to be chipped off the statue of Father Knickerbocker, so as not to offend the Prohibitionist delegates who would be arriving in town. Another example of bureaucratic gutlessness. Reply Cheryl A Corey April 11, 2025 A fascinating subject. There’s excellent phrasing: “the head of her infant so callously threshed”; the reference to scalps as a “bounty of flesh”; and your play on the word “scalped” in the final stanza. More of our early history, including stories like this, should be taught. People today have no idea what the early settlers endured or what a savage world it was. Indians thought nothing of bashing a baby against a tree. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Joseph S. Salemi April 11, 2025 I understand that the testicularly-deprived members of the city council of Haverhill (where the pictured statue stands) have decided to keep it, but to remove the hatchet. What a bunch of gutless wimps. The whole heroic point of the Duston story is that she killed and scalped the murderers of her infant. I am reminded of the fact that municipal officials in New York City, for the 1924 Democratic convention, ordered the beer stein to be chipped off the statue of Father Knickerbocker, so as not to offend the Prohibitionist delegates who would be arriving in town. Another example of bureaucratic gutlessness. Reply
Cheryl A Corey April 11, 2025 A fascinating subject. There’s excellent phrasing: “the head of her infant so callously threshed”; the reference to scalps as a “bounty of flesh”; and your play on the word “scalped” in the final stanza. More of our early history, including stories like this, should be taught. People today have no idea what the early settlers endured or what a savage world it was. Indians thought nothing of bashing a baby against a tree. Reply
