“The old sun shone, how brightly! The old lark sang, what song! O’er earth Desire and Gladness Reigned happily and long

“But see! what are these ant-hills?— These ants that creep and crawl?... Bereft of man and nature, My life is stripped of all!

“And I, an ancient orphan, What do I here alone? My friends have all departed, My youth and glory gone.

“Oh, tear me, root and branches! No longer let me be A living head-stone, brooding O’er the grave of liberty.”

 The Cemetery Nightingale

In the hills’ embraces holden, In a valley filled with glooms, Lies a cemetery olden, Strewn with countless mould’ring tombs.

Ancient graves o’erhung with mosses, Crumbling stones, effaced and green,— Venturesome is he who crosses, Night or day, the lonely scene.

Blasted trees and willow streamers, ’Midst the terror round them spread, Seem like awe-bound, silent dreamers In this garden of the dead.

One bird, anguish stricken, lingers In the shadow of the vale, First and best of feathered singers,— ’Tis the churchyard nightingale.

As from bough to bough he flutters, Sweetest songs of woe and wail Through his gift divine he utters For the dreamers in the vale.

Listen how his trills awaken Echoes from each mossy stone! Of all places he has taken God’s still Acre for his own.

*  *  *  *  *

Not on Spring or Summer glory, Not on god or angel story Loyal poet-fancy dwells! Not on streams for rich men flowing, Not on fields for rich men’s mowing,— Graves he sees, of graves he tells. Pain, oppression, woe eternal, Open heart-wounds deep, diurnal, Nothing comforts or allays; O’er God’s Acre in each nation Sings he songs of tribulation Tunes his golden harp and plays.

 The Creation Of Man

When the world was first created By th’ all-wise Eternal One, Asked he none for help or counsel,— Simply spake, and it was done!

Made it for his own good pleasure, Shaped it on his own design, Spent a long day’s work upon it, Formed it fair and very fine.

Soon he thought on man’s creation,— Then perplexities arose, So the Lord His winged Senate Called, the question to propose:

 Prev. P 17/25 next