I STOOD on the bridge at midnight, As the clocks were striking the hour, And the moon rose o'er the city, Behind the dark church-tower. I saw her bright reflection In the waters under me, Like a golden goblet falling And sinking into the sea. And far in the hazy distance
Of that lovely night in June, The blaze of the flaming furnace Gleamed redder than the moon. Among the long, black rafters
The wavering shadows lay, And the current that came from the ocean Seemed to lift and bear them away; As, sweeping and eddying through them, Rose the belated tide,
And, streaming into the moonlight, The sea-weed floated wide.
And like those waters rushing Among the wooden piers, A flood of thoughts came o'er me That filled my eyes with tears. How often, oh, how often,
In the days that had gone by, I had stood on that bridge at midnight, And gazed on that wave and sky! How often, oh, how often,
I had wished that the ebbing tide
Would bear me away on its bosom O'er the ocean wild and wide! For my heart was hot and restless, And my life was full of care, And the burden laid upon me Seemed greater than I could bear. But now it has fallen from me, It is buried in the sea; And only the sorrow of others
Throws its shadow over me.
Yet whenever I cross the river,
On its bridge with wooden piers, Like the odour of brine from the ocean Comes the thought of other years. And I think how many thousands Of care-encumbered men, Each bearing his burden of sorrow, Have crossed the bridge since then! I see the long procession
Still passing to and fro, The young heart hot and restless, And the old subdued and slow.
And for ever and for ever,
As long as the river flows, As long as the heart has passions, As long as life has woes; The moon and its broken reflection
And its shadows shall appear, As the symbol of love in heaven, And its wavering image here.
THE shades of night were falling fast, As through an Alpine village passed A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice, A banner, with the strange device, Excelsior!
His brow was sad; his eye beneath Flashed like a falchion from its sheath, And like a silver clarion rung The accents of that unknown tongue, Excelsior !
In happy homes he saw the light
Of household fires gleam warm and bright; Above, the spectral glaciers shone, And from his lips escaped a groan, Excelsior!
"Try not the Pass!" the old man said; "Dark lowers the tempest overhead, The roaring torrent is deep and wide!" And loud that clarion voice replied, Excelsior!
"O stay," the maiden said, "and rest Thy weary head upon this breast!" A tear stood in his bright blue eye, But still he answered, with a sigh, Excelsior!
"Beware the pine-tree's withered branch: Beware the awful avalanche !"
This was the peasant's last Good-night, A voice replied, far up the height, Excelsior!
At break of day, as heavenward The pious monks of Saint Bernard Uttered the oft-repeated prayer, A voice cried through the startled air, Excelsior!
A traveller, by the faithful hound, Half-buried in the snow was found, Still grasping in his hand of ice That banner with the strange device, Excelsior!
There in the twilight cold and gray, Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay, And from the sky, serene and far, A voice fell, like a falling star, Excelsior!
The following Poems, with one exception, were written at sea, in the latter part of October, 1842. I had not then heard of Dr. Channing's death. Since that event, the poem addressed to him is no longer appropriate. I have decided, however, to let it remain as it was written in testimony of my admiration for a great and good man.]
THE pages of thy book I read,
And as I closed each one, My heart, responding, ever said, "Servant of God! well done!"
Well done! Thy words are great and bold;
At times they seem to me Like Luther's, in the days of old, Half-battles for the free.
Go on, until this land revokes The old and chartered Lie,
The feudal curse, whose whips and yokes Insult humanity.
A voice is ever at thy side,
Speaking in tones of might, Like the prophetic voice, that cried
To John in Patmos, "Write!"
Write! and tell out this bloody tale; Record this dire eclipse,
This Day of Wrath, this Endless Wail, This dread Apocalypse!
BESIDE the ungathered rice he lay,
His sickle in his hand; His breast was bare, his matted hair Was buried in the sand. Again, in the mist and shadow of sleep, He saw his Native Land.
Wide through the landscape of his dreams
The lordly Niger flowed; Beneath the palm-trees on the plain Once more a king he strode; And heard the tinkling caravans Descend the mountain-road.
He saw once more his dark-eyed queen Among her children stand; They clasped his neck, they kissed his cheeks,
They held him by the hand!- A tear burst from the sleeper's lids, And fell into the sand.
And then at furious speed he rode
Along the Niger's bank; His bridle-reins were golden chains, And, with a martial clank,
At each leap he could feel his scabbard
Smiting his stallion's flank.
Before him, like a blood-red flag,
The bright flamingoes flew;
From morn till night he followed their flight,
O'er plains where the tamarind grew, Till he saw the roofs of Caffre huts,
And the ocean rose to view.
At night he heard the lion roar, And the hyæna scream;
And the river-horse as he crushed the reeds
Beside some hidden stream;
And it passed, like a glorious roll of drums,
Through the triumph of his dream.
The forests, with their myriad tongues, Shouted of liberty;
And the Blast of the Desert cried aloud,
With a voice so wild and free,
That he started in his sleep and smiled
At their tempestuous glee.
He did not feel the driver's whip, Nor the burning heat of day;
For death had illumined the Land of Sleep,
And his lifeless body lay
A worn-out fetter, that the soul Had broken and thrown away!
THE GOOD PART THAT SHALL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY.
SHE dwells by great Kenhawa's side, In valleys green and cool; And all her hope and all her pride
Are in the village school.
Her soul, like the transparent air
That robes the hills above, Though not of earth, encircles there
All things with arms of love. And thus she walks among her girls With praise and mild rebukes; Subduing e'en rude village churls By her angelic looks.
She reads to them at eventide
Of One who came to save;
To cast the captive's chains aside, And liberate the slave.
And oft the blessed time foretells When all men shall be free;
And musical, as silver bells,
Their falling chains shall be. And following her beloved Lord, In decent poverty,
She makes her life one sweet record And deed of charity.
For she was rich and gave up all
To break the iron bands Of those who waited in her hall, And laboured in her lands.
Long since beyond the Southern Sea Their outbound sails have sped, While she, in meek humility, Now earns her daily bread.
It is their prayers, which never cease, That clothe her with such grace; Their blessing is the light of peace That shines upon her face.
THE SLAVE IN THE DISMAL SWAMP.
A poor old slave, infirm and lame; Great scars deformed his face ; On his forehead he bore the brand of shame,
And the rags, that hid his mangled frame,
Were the livery of disgrace.
All things above were bright and fair,
All things were glad and free; Lithe squirrels darted here and there, And wild birds filled the echoing air With songs of Liberty!
On him alone was the doom of pain, From the morning of his birth; On him alone the curse of Cain Fell, like a flail on the garnered grain, And struck him to the earth!
THE Slaver in the broad lagoon Lay moored with idle sail; He waited for the rising moon, And for the evening gale.
Under the shore his boat was tied, And all her listless crew Watched the gray alligator slide Into the still bayou. Odours of orange-flowers, and spice, Reached them from time to time, Like airs that breathe from Paradise Upon a world of crime.
The Planter, under his roof of thatch, Smoked thoughtfully and slow; The Slaver's thumb was on the latch, He seemed in haste to go. He said, "My ship at anchor rides In yonder broad lagoon ; I only wait the evening tides, And the rising of the moon."
Before them, with her face upraised, In timid attitude,
Like one half curious, half amazed, A Quadroon maiden stood.
Her eyes were large, and full of light, Her arms and neck were bare; No garment she wore, save a kirtle bright, And her own long, raven hair. And on her lips there played a smile As holy, meek, and faint,
As lights in some cathedral aisle The features of a saint.
"The soil is barren,-the farm is old;" The thoughtful Planter said; Then looked upon the Slaver's gold, And then upon the maid.
His heart within him was at strife
With such accursed gains; For he knew whose passions gave her life. Whose blood ran in her veins.
But the voice of nature was too weak; He took the glittering gold! Then pale as death grew the maiden's cheek,
Her hands as icy cold.
The Slaver led her from the door,
He led her by the hand, To be his slave and paramour In a strange and distant land!
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