18th-19th Century

The author to this piece is unknown due to it being passed down through generation to generation. This poem is in the public domain because it is a folk poem.

"Oh Shenandoah"


Oh Shenandoah,
I long to see you,
Away you rolling river
Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you,
Away, I'm bound away
'cross the wide Missouri.

Oh Shenandoah,
I love your daughter
Away, you rolling river.
For her I'd cross, Your roaming waters.
Away, I'm bound away,
'Cross the wide Missouri.

'Tis seven years since last I've seen you,
And hear your rolling river,
'Tis seven years since last I've seen you,
Away, we're bound away Across the wide Missouri.

Oh Shenandoah,
I long to see you,
And hear your rolling river,
Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you,
Away, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri.


This poem can be taken in several ways. From what I've heard about it, it's about the Shenandoah valley. If you haven't seen it, it's absolutely gorgeous. This poem describes the river, the valley and such in great detail. It tells of someone wandering around. This person left someone meaningful behind. It says that this person will risk anything to get back to that person, even cross the treacherous Missouri river.

I first heard of this poem while riding in the car, listening to one of my father's old choir CD's. It was a version of the text set to music, like "Annie Laurie" and "The Pasture". I listened to it in the car. Even though I didn't understand the words coming out of the choir member's mouths, it sounded sad but beautiful. I looked up the lyrics when I got home and read about the history of the piece.

What I got out of it was that it was about a man who has to leave his love, but promises her he'll be back. It doesn't matter what happens. He will return because he has nothing else to come home to. That's what I got out of it. The urge and craving to journey on just to see the shining face of that one person.