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 | The poetical works of William H. C. Hosmer |  |
191
ODE.
IN COMMEMORATION OF THE SETTLEMENT OF WESTERN NEW YORK.
High was the homage senates paid
To the plumed conquerors of old
And freely at their feet were laid
Rich piles of flashing gems and gold
To the plumed conquerors of old
And freely at their feet were laid
Rich piles of flashing gems and gold
Proud History exhausted thought—
Glad bards awoke their vocal reeds
While Phidian hands the marble wrought
In honor of their wond'rous deeds;
Glad bards awoke their vocal reeds
While Phidian hands the marble wrought
In honor of their wond'rous deeds;
But our undaunted pioneers
Have conquests more enduring won,
In scattering the night of years,
And opening forests to the sun:
Have conquests more enduring won,
In scattering the night of years,
And opening forests to the sun:
And victors are they nobler far
Than the helmed chiefs of other times,
Who rolled their chariots of war
In other lands and distant climes.
Than the helmed chiefs of other times,
Who rolled their chariots of war
In other lands and distant climes.
Earth groaned beneath those mail-clad men,
Bereft of beauty where they trod—
And wildly rose from hill and glen
Loud, agonizing shrieks to God
Bereft of beauty where they trod—
And wildly rose from hill and glen
Loud, agonizing shrieks to God
Purveyors to the carrion-bird,
Blood streamed from their uplifted swords,
And while the crash of states was heard,
Swept on their desolating hordes.
Blood streamed from their uplifted swords,
And while the crash of states was heard,
Swept on their desolating hordes.
192
Then tell me not of heroes fled—
Crime renders foul their boasted fame,
While widowed ones and orphans bled
They earned the phantom of a name.
Crime renders foul their boasted fame,
While widowed ones and orphans bled
They earned the phantom of a name.
The sons of our New England sires,
Armed with endurance, dared to roam
Far from the hospitable fires,
And the green, hallowed bowers of home.
Armed with endurance, dared to roam
Far from the hospitable fires,
And the green, hallowed bowers of home.
Distemper, leagued with famine wan,
Nerved to a high resolve, they bore,
And flocks upon the thymy lawn
Ranged where the panther yelled before.
Nerved to a high resolve, they bore,
And flocks upon the thymy lawn
Ranged where the panther yelled before.
Look now abroad! the scene how changed
Where fifty fleeting years ago,
Clad in his savage costume, ranged
The belted lord of shaft and bow.
Where fifty fleeting years ago,
Clad in his savage costume, ranged
The belted lord of shaft and bow.
No more a woody waste, the land
Is rich in fruits and golden grain,
And clustering domes and temples stand
On upland, river, shore and plain.
Is rich in fruits and golden grain,
And clustering domes and temples stand
On upland, river, shore and plain.
In praise of Pomp let fawning Art
Carve rocks to triumph over years—
The grateful incense of the heart
Give to our living Pioneers.
Carve rocks to triumph over years—
The grateful incense of the heart
Give to our living Pioneers.
Almighty! may thine outstretched arm
Guard, through long ages yet to be,
From tread of slave, and kingly harm,
Our Eden of the Genesee.
Guard, through long ages yet to be,
From tread of slave, and kingly harm,
Our Eden of the Genesee.
| The poetical works of William H. C. Hosmer | |