; ;

; ; ; ;

8 LONGFELLOW'S POEMS.
" Shall I have nought that is And the first watch of night is
fair ? " saith he, given
"Have noughtbut the bearded To the red planet Mars.
grain ?
Though the breath of these flow- Is itthe tender star of love ?
ers is sweet to me, The star of love and dreams?
I will give them all back again." O no from that blue tent above,
!

A hero's armor gleams.

He gazed at the flowers with tear-
ful eyes, And earnest thoughts witliin me
Hekissed their drooping leaves; rise.
It was for tlie Lord of Paradise When I bcliold afar.
He bound them in his sheaves. Suspended in the evening skies,
The shield of that red star.
" My Lord has need of these flow-
erets gay," star of strength ! I see thee stand
The Reaper said, and smiled And smile upon my pain;
" Dear tokens of the earth are they. Thou bcckonest with thy mailed
Where he was once a child. hand.
And I am strong again.
" They shall all bloom in fields of
"light, Within my breast there is no light.
Transplanted by my care, But the cold light of stars;
And saints, upon their garments 1 give the first watch of the night
wliite, To the red planet Mars.
Their sacred blossoms Avear."
The star of the unconquered will,
And the mother gave, in tears and He
rises in my
breast.
pain, Serene, and resolute, and still.
The flowers she most did love And calm, and self-possessed.
She knew she should find them all
again And thou, too, whosoe'er thou art,
In the fields of light above. That readest this brief psalm.
As one by one thy hopes depart,
O, not in cruelty, not in wrath, Be resolute and calm.
The Reaper came that day
'Twas an angel visited the green O fear not in a world like this.
earth. And thou shalt know ere long,
And took the flowers away. Know how sublime a thing it is
To suffer and be strong.

THE LIGHT OF STARS.

The night is come, but not too FOOTSTEPS OF ANGELS.
soon
And sinking silently, When the hours of Day are num-
All silently, the little moon bered.
Drops down behind the sky. And the voices of the Night
Wake the better soul, thai slum-
There is no light in earth or heaven. bered.
Cut the cold light of stars To a holy, calm delight
 ; ;

FLOWERS. 9
Ere tlie evening lamps are lighted, FLOWERS.
And, like plmutunis grim uud
tall, Sp.\ke full well in language quaint
Shadows from the fitful firelight and olden.
Dance upon the parlor wall One who dwelleth by the castled
Rhine,
Then the forms of the departed When he called the tlowers, so
Enter at the open door; blue and golden.
The beloved, the true-hearted. Stars that in the earth's firma
Come to visit me once more ;
meut do shine.

He, the young and strong, who Stars they are, wherein we read
clierished our history,
Noble longings for the strife. As astrologers and seers of eld ;

By the roadside fell and perished. Yet not wrapped about with awful
Weary with the march of life! myster}'.
Like the burning stars, which
they beheld.
They, the holy ones and weakly,
Wlio tlie cross of suffering bore,
Folded their pale hands so meekly, Wondrous truths, and manifold as
Spake with us on earth no more! wondrous,
God hath written in those stars
And wilii them the Being Beaute- above
ous, But not less in the bright flowerets
Who
unto my youth was given. under us
More than all things else to love me. Stands the revelation of his love.
And is now a saint in heaven.
Bright and glorious is that revela-
With a slow and noiseless footstep, tion,
Comes that messenger divine, AVritten all over this great
Takes the vacant chair beside me, world of ours;
Lays lier gentle hand in mine. Making evident our own creation,
In these stars of earth, — these
And she sits and gazes at me golden flowers.
With those deep and tender eyes.
Like the .stars, so si ill and saint- And the Poet, faitiiful and far-
like, seeing.
Looking downward from the Sees, alike in stars and flowers, a
skies. part
Of the Self same, universal being.
Uttered not, yet comprehended, Which is (luobbing in his brain
Is the spirit's voiceless prayer, and heart.
Soft rebukes, iti blessings ended,
Bnatliiiig from her lips of air. Gorgeous flowerets in the sunlight
shining,
(), though oft depressed and lonely. Blo.ssoms tlaunting in the eye of
All my fears are laid aside,
If I but n;mcinbcr oidy Tremulous leaves, with soft and
Sucii as these have lived and silver lining.
died ! Buds that open only to decay:
 ; ; ; ; ;

10 LONGFELLOW'S POEMS.
Biilliaut hopes, all woven iu gor- In the cottage of the rudest peas-
geous tissues, ant.
Flaunting gayly in the golden In ancestral homes, whose crum-
light; bling towers.
Large desires with most uncertain Speaking of the Past unto the
issues, Present,
Tender wishes, blossoming at Tell us of the ancient Games of
night! Flowers

These in flowers and men are more In all places, then, and iu all sea-
than seeming; sons.
Workings are they of the self- Flowers expand their light and
same powers. soul-like wings.
Which the Poet, in no idle dream- Teaching us, by most persuasive
ing, reasons,
Seeth in himself and in the How akin they are to human
flowers. things.

Everywhere about us are they And with childlike, credulous af-

glowing. fection
Some like stars, to tell us Spring We behold their tender buds
is born expand
Others, their blue eyes with tears Emblems of our own great resur-
o'erflowiug. rection.
Stand like Ruth amid the golden Emblems of the bright and bet-
corn ter laud.

Not alone in Spring's armorial

bearing. THE BELEAGUERED CITY.
And in summer's green-embla-
zoned tield. I HAVE
read, in some old marvel-
But in arms of brave old Autumn's ous tale
wearing. Some legend strange and vague,
In the center of his brazen shield ;
That a midnight host of specters
pale
Not alone in meadows and green
Beleaguered the walls of Prague.
alleys,
On by the
the mountain-top, and Beside the Moldati's rushing
brink stream.
Of sequestered pools in woodland With the wan moon overhead,
valleys. There stood, as in an awful dream,
Where the slaves of Nature The army of the dead.
stoop to drink
White as a sea-fog, landward
Not alone in her vast dome of bound.
glory. The spectral camp was seen,
Not on graves of bird and beast And, witli a sorrowful, deep sound,
alone, The river flowed between.
But in old cathedrals, high and
hoary. No other voice nor sound was
On the tombs of heroes, carved there,
in stone; No drum, nor sentry's pace;
 ; ! ! ! ;

14 LONGFELLOW'S POEMS.
The embracing sunbeams chastely Far the glimmering tapers shed
play, Faint light on the cowled head
And gladden these deep soli- And the censer burning swung.
tudes. Where, before the altar, hung
The blood-red banner, that
Where, twisted round the barren with prayer
oak. Had been consecrated there.
The summer vine in beauty And the nun's sweet hymn was
clung, heard the while,
A.nd summer winds the stillness Sung low in the dim, mysterious
broke, aisle.
The crystal icicle is hung.

Where from their frozen urns,

"Take thy banner! May it

mute springs wave

Proudly o'er the good and
Pour out the river's gradual tide.
brave;
Shrilly the skater's iron rings,
And voices fill the woodland When the battle's distant wail
Breaks the sabbath of our vale,
side.
When the clarion's music
Alas! how changed from the fair thrills
scene. To the hearts of these lone
When birds sang out their mel- hills.

low lay, When the spear in conflict

And winds were soft, and woods shakes.
were green. And the strong lance shivering
And the song ceased not with breaks.
the day.
" Take thy banner! and, be-
But wild music is abroad.
still neath
Pale, desert woods! within your The battle-cloud's encircling
crowd wreath.
And gathering winds, in hoarse Guard it! — our homes are
till
accord. free
Amid the vocal reeds pipe loud. Guard it! — God will prosper
thee!
Chill airs and wintry winds! my In the dark and trying hour.
ear In the breaking forth of power.
Has grown familiar with your In the rush of steeds and men.
song; His right hand will shield
I hear it in the opening year,— thee then.
I listen, and it cheers me long.
" Take thy banner! But, when
night
HYMN OF THE MORAVIAN Closes round the ghastly fight.
If the vanquished warrior bow,
NUNS OF BETHLEHEM, Spare him —
By our holy vow,
!

AT THE CONSECRATION OP PULASKl's By our pra^'ers and many tears,

BANNER. By the mercy that endears.
Spare him —
he our love hath
!

When the dying flame of day shared

Through the chancel shot its Spare him! as thou wouldst —
ray, be spared
 —

SUNRISE ON THE HILLS. 15

"Take thy banner! — and if e'er Martial cloak and shroud for
Thou sliuiildst press the sol- thee."
dier's bier,
And the muffled drum should The warrior took that banner
beat proud,
To the tread of mournful feet, And it was his martial cloak and
Then this crimson tlag shall be shroud!

SUNRISE ON THE HILLS.

ISTOOD upon the hills, wlien heaveu's wide arch
Was glorious with the sun's returning march,
And woods were brightened, and .soft gales
Went fortli to kiss the sun-elad vales.
The clouds were far beneath me; — l)athed in light.
The}' gathered midway round tlie woudetl height.
And, in their fading-glor}', shone
Like hosts in battle overthrown,
As many a pinnacle, witii shifting glance,
Through tlie gray mist thrust up its shattered lance,
And rocking on the cliff was left
The dark pine blasted, bare, and cleft.
The veil of cloud was lifted, and below
Glowed the rich valley, ami the rivers flow
Was darkened b}' the forest's shade,
Orglistened in the white cascade;
AVliere upward, in tiie mellow blusli of day.
Tile noisy bittern wheeled his spiral way.

I heard the dist^ant waters dasli,

saw the current wiiirl antl flash,
I
And richly, by tlie blue lake's silver beach.
The woods were bending witli a silent reach.
Then o'er tlie vale, witii gentle swell,
Tlie music of tiie village bell
Came sweetly to the echo-giving hills;
And the wild horn, whose voice the woodland fills,

Was ringing to the merry shout,

That faint and far the glen sent out,
Wiii'ri'. iinswcrinii' to the suddi'U shot, thin smoke.
Through llii(;k-leaved branches, from the dingle broke.

If thou art worn and hard beset

With sorrows, that tiiou wouldst forget.
If thou wouldst read a lesson, that will keep
Thy heart from faintinjr antl thy soul from sleep.
Go to the woods and hills! — No tears
Dim the sweet look that Nature wears.