 | Selected poems by William J. Grayson |  |
III.—THE CAMP
On Pee-Dee's swamp, in deep morass,
'Mid winding creeks and island lies,
Closed every path and secret pass
By tangled woods to prying eyes;
Around in stately columns rise
Huge cypresses, gigantic pine,
Tall oaks that quiver in the skies,
And lither limbs of branching vine;
Grape, twisted supple-jack combine
To spread aloft a leafy maze
So densely, through its arch a line
Of Summer sunlight rarely strays;
Herds there in winter wandering graze
In brakes of cane, so darkly green,
The spotted fawn securely plays,
Protected by the living screen.
'Mid winding creeks and island lies,
Closed every path and secret pass
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Around in stately columns rise
Huge cypresses, gigantic pine,
Tall oaks that quiver in the skies,
And lither limbs of branching vine;
Grape, twisted supple-jack combine
To spread aloft a leafy maze
So densely, through its arch a line
Of Summer sunlight rarely strays;
Herds there in winter wandering graze
In brakes of cane, so darkly green,
The spotted fawn securely plays,
Protected by the living screen.
Bright plumed, the Summer duck is seen
In hollow oaks, a cunning nest,
And far up earth and sky between,
The heron finds a place of rest.
Here, deep within the silent breast
Of wood and swamp, the leader placed
His secret camp, when sorely prest,
A refuge in a pathless waste.
In hollow oaks, a cunning nest,
And far up earth and sky between,
The heron finds a place of rest.
Here, deep within the silent breast
Of wood and swamp, the leader placed
His secret camp, when sorely prest,
A refuge in a pathless waste.
Of reeds and sod the hunters made
A hamlet in the narrow glade;
Slight shelter, but enough for those
Who love the forest's deep repose,
Its quiet scenes, its simple fare,
Its manly sport, and bracing air.
Around, prepared for all alarms,
Their sylvan armory, their arms,
At easy distance, ready lie
For active hand and watchful eye;
The powder-horn hangs over head,
On pine or oak the rifle leans,
The hardy horse, in marshes bred,
His forage there securely gleans;
The smokes of camp-fires to the skies,
By breath unmoved of passing breeze,
Rose straight and tall, to dreamy eyes,
Gray trunks of ancient forest trees.
Here scattered yeomen carelessly,
On gathered leaves, with blanket spread,
Or long grey moss, a forest bed,
In groups asleep, or resting lie,
Or while away the idle day,
In boisterous sport or quiet play;
Or clean their rifles, and with care
The bullet and the patch prepare;
Or seated by the camp fire boast
Their gallant deeds of daring done,
When Moultrie kept the island coast,
And Jasper fame and honors won.
A hamlet in the narrow glade;
Slight shelter, but enough for those
Who love the forest's deep repose,
Its quiet scenes, its simple fare,
Its manly sport, and bracing air.
Around, prepared for all alarms,
96
At easy distance, ready lie
For active hand and watchful eye;
The powder-horn hangs over head,
On pine or oak the rifle leans,
The hardy horse, in marshes bred,
His forage there securely gleans;
The smokes of camp-fires to the skies,
By breath unmoved of passing breeze,
Rose straight and tall, to dreamy eyes,
Gray trunks of ancient forest trees.
Here scattered yeomen carelessly,
On gathered leaves, with blanket spread,
Or long grey moss, a forest bed,
In groups asleep, or resting lie,
Or while away the idle day,
In boisterous sport or quiet play;
Or clean their rifles, and with care
The bullet and the patch prepare;
Or seated by the camp fire boast
Their gallant deeds of daring done,
When Moultrie kept the island coast,
And Jasper fame and honors won.
With merry laugh they loved to tell
Of Ardiesoff's unhappy plight,
When sprawling on the floor he fell,
His menace turned to sudden fright,
As James with weighty chair replied
To bullying arrogance and pride.
Of Ardiesoff's unhappy plight,
When sprawling on the floor he fell,
His menace turned to sudden fright,
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To bullying arrogance and pride.
Of Conyers, too, when hand to hand,
Braving the best of Watson's band,
Daily before the British post
He rode and challenged all their host;—
While in the porch, with taunting mood,
A rebel maid, a captive, stood,
Inviting every foe to try
The freely offered courtesy,
Laughing to see that not a man
Dared meet her rebel partisan.
But most they praised the famous feat
Of James, when on his gallant gray,
Compelled by numbers to retreat,
He held alone the narrow way;
While confident, in full career,
The foe assailed the rebel rear.
There in a road, a fathom wide,
Deep miry swamp on either side,
He singly stood, and dared oppose
The onset of a hundred foes;
With rifle shot and bayonet thrust,
He laid the foremost in the dust;
Others in quick succession came,
Their charge and luckless fate the same;
Dismay'd, the troop in silence gazed,
And stood admiring and amazed;
Fix'd by some paralyzing charm
To see a single heart and arm,
As with a wizard's potent spell,
The charges of a host repel.
Braving the best of Watson's band,
Daily before the British post
He rode and challenged all their host;—
While in the porch, with taunting mood,
A rebel maid, a captive, stood,
Inviting every foe to try
The freely offered courtesy,
Laughing to see that not a man
Dared meet her rebel partisan.
But most they praised the famous feat
Of James, when on his gallant gray,
Compelled by numbers to retreat,
He held alone the narrow way;
While confident, in full career,
The foe assailed the rebel rear.
There in a road, a fathom wide,
Deep miry swamp on either side,
He singly stood, and dared oppose
The onset of a hundred foes;
With rifle shot and bayonet thrust,
He laid the foremost in the dust;
98
Their charge and luckless fate the same;
Dismay'd, the troop in silence gazed,
And stood admiring and amazed;
Fix'd by some paralyzing charm
To see a single heart and arm,
As with a wizard's potent spell,
The charges of a host repel.
| Selected poems by William J. Grayson | |