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Poems descriptive, dramatic, legendary and contemplative

Simms, William Gilmore (1806-1870)

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VOL. I.
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VOL. II.
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SOUTHERN PASSAGES AND PICTURES.
  
FLIGHT TO NATURE.
  
THE BROOKLET.
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SABBATH IN THE FOREST.
  
THE LOST PLEIAD.
  
FIRST DAY OF SPRING.
  
BALLAD.
  
SONNET.—BY THE SWANANNOA.
  
TO TIME.
  
THE TRAVELLER'S REST.
  
THE MOCK-BIRD.
  
AUTUMN TWILIGHT.
  
BALLAD.
  
HAST THOU A SONG FOR A FLOWER.
  
ENIGMA.
  
SONNET.
  
TO THE BREEZE.
  
LYRICAL BALLAD.
  
THE NEW MOON.
  
FOREST REVERIE BY STARLIGHT.
  
INSCRIPTION FOR THERMOPYLÆ.
  
BY THE EDISTO.
  
THE APPROACH OF SUMMER.
  
NIGHT STORM.
  
“WELL,” SANG A BLUE-EYED DAMSEL.
  
NATURE'S FAVORITE.
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SONNETS.—DAWNINGS OF FANCY.
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SONNETS.—POPULAR MISDIRECTION.
  
THE FIRST DREAM OF LOVE.
  
HAUNTED WOODS.—A FRAGMENT.
  
THE STATESMAN.
  
SLEEPING CHILD.
  
THE GRAPE-VINE SWING.
  
SONNET.—THE OLD MASTERS.
  
SEASIDE SOLITUDE.
  
MENTAL SOLITUDE.
  
“SUCH, O BEAUTY!”
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SONNETS.—THE CAPRICE OF THE SENSIBILITIES.
  
MOTHER AND CHILD.
  
COME, WHEN THE EVENING INTO SILENCE CLOSES.
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SONNETS.
  
THE SWALLOWS.
  
SONNET.—DEATH IN YOUTH.
  
SUNSET PIECE.
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SONNETS.—TO MY FRIEND.
  
FLOWERS IN AUTUMN.
  
THE LAND OF THE PINE.
  
THE INUTILE PURSUIT.
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SONNETS.—THE SOUL IN IMAGINATIVE ART.
  
THE SHADED WATER.
  
AT A CHILD'S GRAVE.
  
REMINISCENCE.
  
EVENING BY THE SEA-SHORE.
  
CONGAREE BOAT-HORN BY MOONLIGHT.
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SONNETS.—INVOLUNTARY STRUGGLE.
  
TO THE MOCK-BIRD,
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SONNETS.—DESPONDENCY AND SELF-REPROACH.
  
STANZAS IN APRIL.
  
A LAST PRAYER.
  
ZEPHYRS, THAT WAIT ON MY LADY.
  
SUMMER-NIGHT WIND.
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SONNETS.—PROGRESS IN DENIAL.
  
BALLAD.
  
IMMORTALITY.
  
EVENING AT SEA.
  
WHERE BY DARRO'S EVENING WATERS.
  
SOUL-FLIGHT.
  
THE CHILD-ANGEL.
  
CAPE HATTERAS.
  
SONNET.—THE AGE OF GOLD.
  
BILLOWS.
  
FALL OF THE LEAF.
  
THE EUTAW MAID.
  
ALF-SONG.
  
STANZAS.
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HEADS OF THE POETS.
  
SONNET TO THE PAST.
  
STANZAS.
  
THE WESTERN EMIGRANTS.
  
FIRST PURPOSELESS STRIVINGS OF THE IMAGINATION.
  
STANZAS.
  
THE DECAY OF A PEOPLE.
  
THE TEXAN HUNTER.
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SONNETS.
  
THE SHADE-TREES.
  
THE SACRIFICE UPON OUR ALTARS.
  
OH! WELCOME YE THE STRANGER.
  
CHILDRENS' EVENING GAMBOLS.
  
THE MINIATURE.
  
BEAUTY'S SPRING-TIME.
  
THE UNQUIET SPIRIT.
  
SONNET.—REPROACH AND CONSOLATION.
  
BALLAD.
  
SUMMER WEST WIND.
  
THE KINGS IN SHEOL.
  
MONNA.
  
UR-LIGHT.
  
THE LONELY ISLET.
  
SYBILLA.
  
THE BURDEN OF THE DESERT.
  
THE EDGE OF THE SWAMP.
  
THE STRUGGLE OF ENDOWMENT WITH FORTUNE.
  
MORAL CHANGE.
  
SONNET.—FRIENDSHIP.
  
THE LAY OF THE CARIB DAMSEL.
  
THE MAGIC VOICE.
  
ELODIE.
  
NIGHT-WATCHING.
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SONNETS.—RECOMPENSE.
  
SUMMER IN THE SOUTH.
  
HEART ESSENTIAL TO GENIUS.
  
THE CAPTIVE.
  
TWINS IN DEATH.
  
GLORY.
  
BALLAD.—WHERE ART THOU?
  
FANCY.
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SONNETS.—SPIRIT-FLIGHTS.
  
YES, LONE WERE MY BOSOM.
  
SONNET.—AIMS.
  
CHANGES OF HOME.
  
THE FOREST GRAVE.
  
THOU HAST EYES LIKE STARS.
  
“LA BOLSA DE LAS SIERRAS.”
  
SONG IN MARCH.
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SONNETS.
  
MORNING IN THE FOREST.
  
REPININGS.
  
WONDERS OF THE SEA.
  
IMAGINATION.
  
'TIS A LOWLY GRAVE.
  
SILENCE.
  
VIA SACRA.
  
THE BARD.
  
BLESSINGS ON CHILDREN.
  
THE HURRICANE.
  
SONG.—THE BREEZE THAT SIGHS.
  
ON THE DEATH OF AN OBSCURE CITIZEN.
  
ABANDONMENT.
  
THE IMMORTALITY OF THE BELOVED.
  
IN ABSENCE.
  
AT PARTING.
  
MORAL EXILE.
  
THE STREAMLET.
  
SPRING TIME.
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HISTORICAL LEGENDS.

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168

THE DECAY OF A PEOPLE.

This the true sign of ruin to a race
It undertakes no march, and, day by day
Drowses in camp, or, with the laggard's pace,
Walks sentry o'er possessions that decay;
Destined, with sensible waste, to fleet away;—
For the first secret of continued power
Is the continued conquest;—all our sway
Hath surety in the uses of the hour;
If that we waste, in vain wall'd town and lofty tower!
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