 | Poems of home and country |  |
185
MEMORIAL DAY, 1894.
Not costly domes nor marble towers
Shall mark where friendship comes to weep;
Let clustering vines and fragrant flowers
Tell where the nation's heroes sleep.
Shall mark where friendship comes to weep;
Let clustering vines and fragrant flowers
Tell where the nation's heroes sleep.
They rest in many a shaded vale,
By, and beneath, the sounding sea;
The forest-winds their requiem wail,—
The glorious sons of liberty!
By, and beneath, the sounding sea;
The forest-winds their requiem wail,—
The glorious sons of liberty!
Some, in the stalwart years of life;
Some, in the prime of manhood's bloom,—
Unshrinking, joined the bitter strife,
Unconquered, found a soldier's tomb.
Some, in the prime of manhood's bloom,—
Unshrinking, joined the bitter strife,
Unconquered, found a soldier's tomb.
They merit all our hearts can give;
Our praises and our love they claim;
Long shall their precious names survive,
Held sacred by immortal fame.
Our praises and our love they claim;
Long shall their precious names survive,
Held sacred by immortal fame.
Blest be the land for which they fought,—
The land where Freedom's banners wave;
The land by blood and treasure bought,
Where dwell the free, where sleep the brave.
The land where Freedom's banners wave;
The land by blood and treasure bought,
Where dwell the free, where sleep the brave.
Great patriots of the elder time,
Dear patriots of our later days,
Inspired alike by faith sublime,
One trump of fame shall swell your praise.
Dear patriots of our later days,
Inspired alike by faith sublime,
One trump of fame shall swell your praise.
186
The patriot sire to patriot son—
O'er the broad land, from sea to sea—
Has left the glorious portion won,
The dear bequest of liberty.
O'er the broad land, from sea to sea—
Has left the glorious portion won,
The dear bequest of liberty.
The picket from his weary tread
Has passed; his silent watch is o'er;
The myriad troops, to battle led,
Shall march o'er fields of blood no more.
Has passed; his silent watch is o'er;
The myriad troops, to battle led,
Shall march o'er fields of blood no more.
They gained what their ambition craved,
Freedom and love to all to bring;
And peace, o'er all the land they saved,
Broods, like the dove, with sheltering wing.
Freedom and love to all to bring;
And peace, o'er all the land they saved,
Broods, like the dove, with sheltering wing.
Honor the memory of the dead,
Where'er the sun of Freedom shines;
Wreathe with fair flowers each sleeper's bed,
Cherished and loved, as holy shrines.
Where'er the sun of Freedom shines;
Wreathe with fair flowers each sleeper's bed,
Cherished and loved, as holy shrines.
| Poems of home and country | |