It’s National Poetry Month and we’re celebrating with a series of poetry/history mashups that we like to call Long Island Power Ballads. We’re dusting off some deserving yet obscure poems (and poets) dealing with Long Island history and giving them another look. Over the next few weeks you’ll hear stories of broken hearts, tragic deaths, and the indomitable human spirit. But when we say obscure, we mean obscure. If you’re looking for Walt Whitman, seek ye elsewhere.

Today’s episode deals with “The Death of Woodhull: An American Ballad” which tells one version of the death of Nathaniel Woodhull, American patriot, Brigadier General and brother-in-law of William Floyd. Learn the history of the man and the story of the legend that sprung up around his demise. His connection to AMC’s Turn is also explained.

Hear our fearless poetry reenactors bring this ballad back to life amid fanfare, galloping horses and flashing blades. Many thanks to Anne McCaffrey, Frances Schauss and Kristine Hanson.

Audio Credits

Let Me Like a Soldier Fall
Marching Snare from lewk CC Non-Commercial Attribution License 3.0
Horses from vincentmalstaf CC 0 License
Reenactment from alienistcog CC 0 License
Cannon from man CC Attribution License 3.0
Female breathing from Kuroseishin CC 0 License
Horse neigh from dobroide CC Attribution License 3.0
Sword Battle from freefire66 CC 0 License
El Miserere
Breathing from lizanejordaan, CC Non-Commercial Attribution License 3.0
Stabbing Watermelon from the shaggyfreak, CC Non-Commercial Attribution License 3.0
Passing Review

Further Research

“Death of Woodhull: An American Ballad” from The Mirror, 1823
Account of Woodhull’s death from Henry Onderdonk’s 1846 Documents and Letters Intended to Illustrate the Revolutionary Incidents of Queens County.
Turn: Washington’s Spies on AMC
Digital Public Library of America resources
Freesound.org
UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive
National Poetry Month

Episode 29: Long Island Power Ballads