Selections from American poetry Part 3

HAIL COLUMBIA

Hail, Columbia! happy land!

Hail, ye heroes! heaven-born band!

Who fought and bled in Freedom's cause, Who fought and bled in Freedom's cause, And when the storm of war was gone, Enjoyed the peace your valor won.

Let independence be our boast, Ever mindful what it cost; Ever grateful for the prize, Let its altar reach the skies.

Firm, united, let us be, Rallying round our Liberty; As a band of brothers joined, Peace and safety we shall find.

Immortal patriots! rise once more: Defend your rights, defend your sh.o.r.e: Let no rude foe, with impious hand, Let no rude foe, with impious hand, Invade the shrine where sacred lies Of toil and blood the well-earned prize.

While offering peace sincere and just, In Heaven we place a manly trust, That truth and justice will prevail, And every scheme of bondage fail.

Firm, united, let us be, Rallying round our Liberty; As a band of brothers joined, Peace and safety we shall find.

Sound, sound, the trump of Fame!

Let WASHINGTON'S great name Ring through the world with loud applause, Ring through the world with loud applause; Let every clime to Freedom dear, Listen with a joyful ear.

With equal skill, and G.o.dlike power, He governed in the fearful hour Of horrid war; or guides, with ease, The happier times of honest peace.

Firm, united, let us be, Rallying round our Liberty; As a band of brothers joined, Peace and safety we shall find.

Behold the chief who now commands, Once more to serve his country, stands-- The rock on which the storm will beat, The rock on which the storm will beat; But, armed in virtue firm and true, His hopes are fixed on Heaven and you.

When hope was sinking in dismay, And glooms obscured Columbia's day, His steady mind, from changes free.

Resolved on death or liberty.

Firm, united, let us be, Rallying round our Liberty; As a band of brothers joined, Peace and safety we shall find.

ANONYMOUS

THE BALLAD OF NATHAN HALE

The breezes went steadily through the tall pines, A-saying "oh! hu-ush!" a-saying "oh! hu-ush!"

As stilly stole by a bold legion of horse, For Hale in the bush, for Hale in the bush.

"Keep still!" said the thrush as she nestled her young, In a nest by the road; in a nest by the road.

"For the tyrants are near, and with them appear What bodes us no good, what bodes us no good."

The brave captain heard it, and thought of his home In a cot by the brook; in a cot by the brook.

With mother and sister and memories dear, He so gayly forsook; he so gayly forsook.

Cooling shades of the night were coming apace, The tattoo had beat; the tattoo had beat.

The n.o.ble one sprang from his dark lurking-place, To make his retreat; to make his retreat.

He warily trod on the dry rustling leaves.

As he pa.s.sed through the wood; as he pa.s.sed through the wood; And silently gained his rude launch on the sh.o.r.e, As she played with the flood; as she played with the flood.

The guards of the camp, on that dark, dreary night, Had a murderous will; had a murderous will.

They took him and bore him afar from the sh.o.r.e, To a hut on the hill; to a hut on the hill.

No mother was there, nor a friend who could cheer, In that little stone cell; in that little stone cell.

But he trusted in love, from his Father above.

In his heart, all was well; in his heart, all was well.

An ominous owl, with his solemn ba.s.s voice, Sat moaning hard by; sat moaning hard by: "The tyrant's proud minions most gladly rejoice, For he must soon die; for he must soon die."

The brave fellow told them, no thing he restrained,-- The cruel general! the cruel general!-- His errand from camp, of the ends to be gained, And said that was all; and said that was all.

They took him and bound him and bore him away, Down the hill's gra.s.sy side; down the hill's gra.s.sy side.

'Twas there the base hirelings, in royal array, His cause did deride; his cause did deride.

Five minutes were given, short moments, no more, For him to repent; for him to repent.

He prayed for his mother, he asked not another, To Heaven he went; to Heaven he went.

The faith of a martyr the tragedy showed, As he trod the last stage; as he trod the last stage.

And Britons will shudder at gallant Hales blood, As his words do presage, as his words do presage.

"Thou pale king of terrors, thou life's gloomy foe, Go frighten the slave; go frighten the slave; Tell tyrants, to you their allegiance they owe.

No fears for the brave; no fears for the brave."

A FABLE

Rejoice, Americans, rejoice!

Praise ye the Lord with heart and voice!

The treaty's signed with faithful France, And now, like Frenchmen, sing and dance!

But when your joy gives way to reason, And friendly hints are not deemed treason, Let me, as well as I am able, Present your Congress with a fable.

Tired out with happiness, the frogs Sedition croaked through all their bogs; And thus to Jove the restless race, Made out their melancholy case.

"Famed, as we are, for faith and prayer, We merit sure peculiar care; But can we think great good was meant us, When logs for Governors were sent us?

"Which numbers crushed they fell upon, And caused great fear,--till one by one, As courage came, we boldly faced 'em, Then leaped upon 'em, and disgraced 'em!

"Great Jove," they croaked, "no longer fool us, None but ourselves are fit to rule us; We are too large, too free a nation, To be enc.u.mbered with taxation!

"We pray for peace, but wish confusion, Then right or wrong, a--revolution!

Our hearts can never bend to obey; Therefore no king--and more we'll pray."

Jove smiled, and to their fate resigned The restless, thankless, rebel kind; Left to themselves, they went to work, First signed a treaty with king Stork.