Grave mother of majestic works, Who, God-like, grasps the triple forks, And, King-like, wears the crown: Her open eyes desire the truth. The wisdom of a thousand years Is in them. May perpetual youth Keep dry their light from tears; That her fair form may stand and shine, Make bright our days and light our dreams. Turning to scorn with lips divine The falsehood of extremes ! LOVE thou thy land, with love far-brought True love turn'd round on fixed poles, Thy brothers and immortal souls. But pamper not a hasty time, Nor feed with crude imaginings The herd, wild hearts and feeble wings, That every sophister can lime. Deliver not the tasks of might To weakness, neither hide the ray From those, not blind, who wait for day, Tho' sitting girt with doubtful light. Make knowledge circle with the winds; Bear seed of men and growth of minds. Watch what main-currents draw the years: Nor toil for title, place, or touch Not clinging to some ancient saw; That from Discussion's lip may fall With Life, that, working strongly, binds Set in all lights by many minds, To close the interests of all. For Nature also, cold and warm, Meet is it changes should control So let the change which comes be free To ingroove itself with that, which flies, And work, a joint of state, that plies Its office, moved with sympathy. A saying, hard to shape in act; Ev'n now we hear with inward strife -- A slow-develop'd strength awaits The warders of the growing hour, But vague in vapor, hard to mark ; And round them sea and air are dark With great contrivances of Power. Of many changes, aptly join'd, Is bodied forth the second whole. Regard gradation, lest the soul Of Discord race the rising wind; A wind to puff your idol-fires, And heap their ashes on the head; To shame the boast so often made, That we are wiser than our sires. Oh yet, if Nature's evil star Drive men in manhood, as in youth, To follow flying steps of Truth Across the brazen bridge of war If New and Old, disastrous feud, Not yet the wise of heart would cease To hold his hope thro' shame and guilt, But with his hand against the hilt, Would pace the troubled land, like Peace; Not less, tho' dogs of Faction bay, Would serve his kind in deed and word, Certain, if knowledge bring the sword, That knowledge takes the sword away Would love the gleams of good that broke 'To-morrow yet would reap to-day, As we bear blossoms of the dead; Earn well the thrifty months, nor wed Raw Haste, half-sister to Delay. THE GOOSE. I KNEW an old wife lean and poor, He held a goose upon his arm, 66 He utter'd rhyme and reason, 'Here, take the goose, and keep you warm, It is a stormy season." She caught the white goose by the leg, The goose let fall a golden egg With cackle and with clatter. She dropt the goose, and caught the pelf, And feeding high, and living soft, So sitting, served by man and maid, It clutter'd here, it chuckled there; "A quinsy choke thy cursed note!" 66 Then wax'd her anger stronger. Go, take the goose, and wring her throat, Then yelp'd the cur, and yawl'd the cat; The goose flew this way and flew that, As head and heels upon the floor He took the goose upon his arm, The wild wind rang from park and plain, Till all the tables danced again, The glass blew in, the fire blew out, And a whirlwind clear'd the larder: And while on all sides breaking loose THE EPIC. AT Francis Allen's on the Christmas-eve, |