 | Poems of home and country |  |
151
THE CINCINNATAE.
[_]
At meeting of the “Woman's Relief Corps, G. A. R.,” in Boston, August, 1890, the author of “America” suggested the organization of a Society similar to that which, under the name of “Cincinnati” represents the “Sons of the Revolution.” The suggestion was entertained, and the following responsive tribute was written upon the occasion.
Rouse to defend the land ye love,
Ye stalwart men and brave;
O'er all its breadth, from sea to sea,
Bid Freedom's banner wave.
Ye stalwart men and brave;
O'er all its breadth, from sea to sea,
Bid Freedom's banner wave.
They heard, they stood, in serried ranks
They marched at Freedom's call;
One hope beat high in every heart,
One thought inspired them all.
They marched at Freedom's call;
One hope beat high in every heart,
One thought inspired them all.
Deep in the furrow where it sank,
The plough, ungeared, stood still,
While broader plans and loftier aims,
Waited the freemen's will.
The plough, ungeared, stood still,
While broader plans and loftier aims,
Waited the freemen's will.
So Cincinnatus bravely led
His Roman soldiers, true;
So, fearless, trod through fields of blood
Our Cincinnati too.
His Roman soldiers, true;
So, fearless, trod through fields of blood
Our Cincinnati too.
And who are these, of finer mould,
With loving heart and hand,
Alert to feel, and quick to help,—
A noble female band?
With loving heart and hand,
Alert to feel, and quick to help,—
A noble female band?
152
These loving hands have waved farewell
To men to glory led;
These loving eyes, with bitter tears,
Have wept o'er soldiers dead.
To men to glory led;
These loving eyes, with bitter tears,
Have wept o'er soldiers dead.
And when the storm of battle ceased,
'T was theirs to weld the chain,
Whose broken links were scattered wide,
In brotherhood again.
'T was theirs to weld the chain,
Whose broken links were scattered wide,
In brotherhood again.
Their loving voices join to swell
The anthem of the free;
Their loving lips, harmonious, sing,
“My country, 't is of thee.”
The anthem of the free;
Their loving lips, harmonious, sing,
“My country, 't is of thee.”
Hail, mothers, daughters, sisters, wives
Of men to freedom true!
The land redeemed is proud to claim
Our Cincinnatae, too.
Of men to freedom true!
The land redeemed is proud to claim
Our Cincinnatae, too.
| Poems of home and country | |