 | Verses of a life time |  |
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A BALLAD.
PART FIRST.
THE PLANTATION.
Farewell, awhile, the city's hum,
Where busy footsteps fall,
And welcome to my weary eye,
The Planter's friendly Hall.
Where busy footsteps fall,
And welcome to my weary eye,
The Planter's friendly Hall.
Here let me rise at early dawn,
And list the mock-bird's lay,
That warbling near our lowland home,
Sits on the waving spray.
And list the mock-bird's lay,
That warbling near our lowland home,
Sits on the waving spray.
Then tread the shading avenue,
Beneath the cedar's gloom,
Or gum tree with its flicker'd shade,
Or chinquapen's perfume.
Beneath the cedar's gloom,
Or gum tree with its flicker'd shade,
Or chinquapen's perfume.
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The myrtle tree, the orange wild,
The cypress' flexile bough,
The holly with its polished leaves,
Are all before me now.
The cypress' flexile bough,
The holly with its polished leaves,
Are all before me now.
There, towering with imperial pride,
The rich magnolia stands,
And here, in softer loveliness,
The white bloom'd bay expands.
The rich magnolia stands,
And here, in softer loveliness,
The white bloom'd bay expands.
The long gray moss hangs gracefully,
Idly I twine its wreaths,
Or stop to catch the fragrant air,
The frequent blossom breathes.
Idly I twine its wreaths,
Or stop to catch the fragrant air,
The frequent blossom breathes.
Life wakes around—the red bird darts
Like flame from tree to tree;
The whip-poor-will complains alone,
The robin whistles free.
Like flame from tree to tree;
The whip-poor-will complains alone,
The robin whistles free.
The frighten'd hare scuds by my path,
And seeks the thicket nigh;
The squirrel climbs the hickory bough,
Thence peeps with careful eye.
And seeks the thicket nigh;
The squirrel climbs the hickory bough,
Thence peeps with careful eye.
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The humming-bird with busy wing
In rainbow beauty moves,
Above the trumpet-blossom floats,
And sips the tube he loves.
In rainbow beauty moves,
Above the trumpet-blossom floats,
And sips the tube he loves.
Triumphant to yon wither'd pine,
The soaring eagle flies,
There builds her eyrie mid the clouds,
And man and heaven defies.
The soaring eagle flies,
There builds her eyrie mid the clouds,
And man and heaven defies.
The hunter's bugle echoes near,
And see, his weary train
With mingled howlings scent the woods,
Or scour the open plain.
And see, his weary train
With mingled howlings scent the woods,
Or scour the open plain.
Yon skiff is darting from the cove,
And list the negro's song,
The theme, his owner and his boat,
While glide the crew along.
And list the negro's song,
The theme, his owner and his boat,
While glide the crew along.
And when the leading voice is lost,
Receding from the shore,
His brother boatmen swell the strain,
In chorus with the oar.
Receding from the shore,
His brother boatmen swell the strain,
In chorus with the oar.
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There stands the dairy on the stream,
Within the broad oak's shade,
The white pails glitter in the sun,
In rustic pomp array'd.
Within the broad oak's shade,
The white pails glitter in the sun,
In rustic pomp array'd.
And she stands smiling at the door,
Who “minds” that milky way,
She smoothes her apron as I pass,
And loves the praise I pay.
Who “minds” that milky way,
She smoothes her apron as I pass,
And loves the praise I pay.
Welcome to me her sable hands,
When, in the noontide heat,
Within the polish'd calibash,
She pours the pearly treat.
When, in the noontide heat,
Within the polish'd calibash,
She pours the pearly treat.
The poulterer's feather'd, tender charge,
Feed on the grassy plain;
Her Afric brow lights up with smiles,
Proud of her noisy train.
Feed on the grassy plain;
Her Afric brow lights up with smiles,
Proud of her noisy train.
Nor does the herdman view his flock,
With unadmiring gaze,
Significant are all their names,
Won by their varying ways.
With unadmiring gaze,
Significant are all their names,
Won by their varying ways.
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Forth from the negroes' humble huts
The laborers now have gone;
But some remain, diseas'd and old—
Do they repine alone?
The laborers now have gone;
But some remain, diseas'd and old—
Do they repine alone?
Ah, no. The nurse, with practis'd skill,
That sometimes shames the wise,
Prepares the herb of potent power,
And healing aid applies.
That sometimes shames the wise,
Prepares the herb of potent power,
And healing aid applies.
On sunny banks the children play,
Or wind the fisher's line,
Or, with the dext'rous fancy-braid,
The willow baskets twine.
Or wind the fisher's line,
Or, with the dext'rous fancy-braid,
The willow baskets twine.
Long ere the sloping sun departs,
The laborers quit the field,
And hous'd within their sheltering huts,
To careless quiet yield.
The laborers quit the field,
And hous'd within their sheltering huts,
To careless quiet yield.
But see yon wild and lurid clouds,
That rush in contact strong,
And hear the thunder, peal on peal,
Reverberate along.
That rush in contact strong,
And hear the thunder, peal on peal,
Reverberate along.
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The cattle stand and mutely gaze,
The birds instinctive fly,
While forked flashes rend the air,
And light the troubled sky.
The birds instinctive fly,
While forked flashes rend the air,
And light the troubled sky.
Behold yon sturdy forest pine,
Whose green top points to heaven,
A flash! its firm, encasing bark,
By that red shock is riven.
Whose green top points to heaven,
A flash! its firm, encasing bark,
By that red shock is riven.
But we, the children of the South,
Shrink not with trembling fears;
The storm familiar to our youth,
Will spare our ripen'd years.
Shrink not with trembling fears;
The storm familiar to our youth,
Will spare our ripen'd years.
We know its fresh, reviving charm,
And, like the flower and bird,
Our looks and voices, in each pause,
With grateful joy are stirr'd.
And, like the flower and bird,
Our looks and voices, in each pause,
With grateful joy are stirr'd.
And now the tender rice upshoots,
Fresh in its hue of green,
Spreading its emerald carpet far,
Beneath the sunny sheen;
Fresh in its hue of green,
Spreading its emerald carpet far,
Beneath the sunny sheen;
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Tho' when the softer ripen'd hue
Of autumn's changes rise,
The rustling spires instinctive lift
Their gold seeds to the skies.
Of autumn's changes rise,
The rustling spires instinctive lift
Their gold seeds to the skies.
There the young cotton plant unfolds
Its leaves of sickly hue,
But soon advancing to its growth,
Looks up with beauty too.
Its leaves of sickly hue,
But soon advancing to its growth,
Looks up with beauty too.
And, as midsummer suns prevail,
Upon its blossoms, glow
Commingling hues, like sunset rays—
Then bursts its sheeted snow.
Upon its blossoms, glow
Commingling hues, like sunset rays—
Then bursts its sheeted snow.
How shall we fly this lovely spot,
Where rural joys prevail,
The social board, the eager chase,
Gay dance and merry tale?
Where rural joys prevail,
The social board, the eager chase,
Gay dance and merry tale?
Alas! our youth must leave their sports,
When spring-time ushers May;
Our maidens quit the planted flower,
Just blushing into day.
When spring-time ushers May;
Our maidens quit the planted flower,
Just blushing into day.
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Or, all beneath yon rural mound,
Where rest th' ancestral dead,
By mourning friends, with sever'd hearts
Unconscious will be led.
Where rest th' ancestral dead,
By mourning friends, with sever'd hearts
Unconscious will be led.
O, Southern summer, false and fair!
Why, from thy loaded wing,
Blent with rich flowers and fruitage rare,
The seeds of sorrow fling?
Why, from thy loaded wing,
Blent with rich flowers and fruitage rare,
The seeds of sorrow fling?
PART SECOND.
THE OVERSEER'S CHILDREN.
Three fleeting years have come and gone,
Since Ann Pomroy I met,
Returning from the district school,
Ere yet the sun was set.
Since Ann Pomroy I met,
Returning from the district school,
Ere yet the sun was set.
With her, her brother Francis stray'd,
And, both in merry tone,
Were saying all the rambling things,
Youth loves when tasks are done.
And, both in merry tone,
Were saying all the rambling things,
Youth loves when tasks are done.
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The mountain tinge was on their cheeks;
From far Vermont they came,
For wandering habits led their sire
A southern home to claim.
From far Vermont they came,
For wandering habits led their sire
A southern home to claim.
Fresh with the airy spring of youth,
They tripp'd the woods along,
Now darting off to cull a flower,
Now bursting into song.
They tripp'd the woods along,
Now darting off to cull a flower,
Now bursting into song.
O, Ann Pomroy, thy sparkling eye
Methinks I often see,
When some young face, in loveliness,
Beams up in smiles to me.
Methinks I often see,
When some young face, in loveliness,
Beams up in smiles to me.
And when light sounds of boyish mirth
Laugh out uncheck'd by fear,
It seems to me, that Francis' voice
Is floating on my ear.
Laugh out uncheck'd by fear,
It seems to me, that Francis' voice
Is floating on my ear.
I said the hue of health they bore,—
Her's was the nect'rine fair,
And his the deep pomegranate tinge,
That boys of beauty wear.
Her's was the nect'rine fair,
And his the deep pomegranate tinge,
That boys of beauty wear.
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They walk'd at early morn and eve,
And as I yearly paid
My visit to the Planter's Hall,
I saw the youth and maid.
And as I yearly paid
My visit to the Planter's Hall,
I saw the youth and maid.
At first, by simple accident,
I came upon their walk;
But soon I lov'd to pause and seek
The privilege of talk—
I came upon their walk;
But soon I lov'd to pause and seek
The privilege of talk—
Until my steps were daily turn'd,
But how I scarce can say,
When Ann and Francis came from school,
To meet them on the way.
But how I scarce can say,
When Ann and Francis came from school,
To meet them on the way.
They told me of New-England hills,
Of orchards in the sun,
Of sleigh-rides with the merry bells,
Of skating's stirring fun;
Of orchards in the sun,
Of sleigh-rides with the merry bells,
Of skating's stirring fun;
And sometimes of a grave they spake,
And then would sadder grow,
In which a gentle mother slept,
Beneath the wintry snow.
And then would sadder grow,
In which a gentle mother slept,
Beneath the wintry snow.
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When April's changing face was seen,
Again from town I flew,
To where the sleep of nature wakes
To sights and odors new.
Again from town I flew,
To where the sleep of nature wakes
To sights and odors new.
All things were fair—the plants of earth
Look'd upward to the sky,
And the blue heaven o'erarch'd them still
With clear and glittering eye.
Look'd upward to the sky,
And the blue heaven o'erarch'd them still
With clear and glittering eye.
I sought the walk I us'd to seek,
And took the little store
Of toys, that from the city's mart
For Ann and Frank I bore.
And took the little store
Of toys, that from the city's mart
For Ann and Frank I bore.
A rustling in the leaves I heard,
But Francis only came,
His eye was dim, his cheek was pale,
And agues shook his frame.
But Francis only came,
His eye was dim, his cheek was pale,
And agues shook his frame.
He saw me—to my open arms
With sudden gladness sprang;
Then raised a thrilling cry of grief
With which the forest rang.
With sudden gladness sprang;
Then raised a thrilling cry of grief
With which the forest rang.
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Few words he spake, but led me on
To where a grave-like mound,
With young spring plants and evergreens,
In rural taste was crown'd.
To where a grave-like mound,
With young spring plants and evergreens,
In rural taste was crown'd.
And there he stood, while gushing tears
Like summer rain-drops came,
And heavings, as a troubled sea,
Went o'er his blighted frame.
Like summer rain-drops came,
And heavings, as a troubled sea,
Went o'er his blighted frame.
I did not ask him who was there,
I felt that Ann was gone,
Around his drooping neck I hung,
And stood like him forlorn.
I felt that Ann was gone,
Around his drooping neck I hung,
And stood like him forlorn.
“I soon shall die,” the mourner said,
“Here will they make my grave,
And over me the cedar trees
And moaning pines will wave.
“Here will they make my grave,
And over me the cedar trees
And moaning pines will wave.
“None—then will come to tend the flowers,
That blossom o'er her bed;
None sing for her the twilight dirge
When I am with the dead.
That blossom o'er her bed;
None sing for her the twilight dirge
When I am with the dead.
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“I cannot join the school-boy sports,
My head and heart are sad;
When Ann is in the silent grave,
O, how can I be glad?
My head and heart are sad;
When Ann is in the silent grave,
O, how can I be glad?
“And when I say my studied tasks,
Or gained the once loved prize,
I weep and softly pray to Heaven,
To lay me where she lies.”
Or gained the once loved prize,
I weep and softly pray to Heaven,
To lay me where she lies.”
I kissed his pale and suffering brow,
By early sorrows riven;
I talk'd to him of her he lov'd,
And raised his thoughts to Heaven.
By early sorrows riven;
I talk'd to him of her he lov'd,
And raised his thoughts to Heaven.
And when the call of duty came,
To take me from his side,
He told me with a sickly smile,
“'T was best that Ann had died.”
To take me from his side,
He told me with a sickly smile,
“'T was best that Ann had died.”
Another annual season roll'd
Its cares and joys along—
Again I sought the country's charms,
Deep woods, and caroll'd song.
Its cares and joys along—
Again I sought the country's charms,
Deep woods, and caroll'd song.
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And there I found two silent graves,
Amid the vernal bloom—
I ne'er shall see those forms again,
Till Heaven unseals the tomb.
Amid the vernal bloom—
I ne'er shall see those forms again,
Till Heaven unseals the tomb.
O, Southern summer, false and fair,
Why, on thy loaded wing,
Blent with rich flowers and fruitage rare,
The seeds of sorrow bring?
Why, on thy loaded wing,
Blent with rich flowers and fruitage rare,
The seeds of sorrow bring?
| Verses of a life time | |