 | The Poems of John Rollin Ridge -- A reproduction of the 1868
publication plus fugitive poems and notes. |  |
ON YUBA CITY
The Yuba City silent stands
Where Providence has placed her,
The glory 's passed to other hands,
That should by right have graced her.
Where Providence has placed her,
The glory 's passed to other hands,
That should by right have graced her.
She stands with aspect sad but high,
And gazes on the river,
That like a stranger passes by,
And nothing has to give her.
And gazes on the river,
That like a stranger passes by,
And nothing has to give her.
Alas, that beauty thus should fade,
Or live so unregarded!
And all the efforts art has made
Or her, pass unrewarded!
Or live so unregarded!
And all the efforts art has made
Or her, pass unrewarded!
Are not her groves most fair to see,
Her paths full greenly skirted?
What has she said, or done, to be
Thus doomed, and thus deserted?
Her paths full greenly skirted?
What has she said, or done, to be
Thus doomed, and thus deserted?
Though melancholy her decline,
By mem'ries sweet 't is haunted,
And luring tones and forms divine
Still make her scenes enchanted.
By mem'ries sweet 't is haunted,
And luring tones and forms divine
Still make her scenes enchanted.
There, peace domestic reigns supreme,
In quiet, holy beauty,
And like the smiles of angels, seem
Parental, filial duty.
In quiet, holy beauty,
And like the smiles of angels, seem
Parental, filial duty.
Her aged ones are good and mild,
Her children fair and witty.
But Caroline's the fairest child
That charms the lonely city!
Her children fair and witty.
But Caroline's the fairest child
That charms the lonely city!
I've seen her at the morning prime--
The sky looked sweeter, bluer!
I've seen her at the evening time--
The stars seemed bending to her!
The sky looked sweeter, bluer!
I've seen her at the evening time--
The stars seemed bending to her!
Oh, Yuba City ! 'tis a sin
Thou 'rt lonely and forsaken,
When uglier cities favor win,
And prosperous paths have taken.
Thou 'rt lonely and forsaken,
When uglier cities favor win,
And prosperous paths have taken.
Who seeks for beauty, they shall meet
The picture where they find thee--
The Feather River at thy feet,
The lofty Buttes behind thee.
The picture where they find thee--
The Feather River at thy feet,
The lofty Buttes behind thee.
And they will bless the quiet scene
That holds thee like a jewel,
And weep that thou 'st abandoned been
To fortunes cold and cruel.
That holds thee like a jewel,
And weep that thou 'st abandoned been
To fortunes cold and cruel.
But, Yuba City, time will cast
The changes in thy favor,
The future shall redeem the past--
Thou 'lt stand whilst others waver!
The changes in thy favor,
The future shall redeem the past--
Thou 'lt stand whilst others waver!
| The Poems of John Rollin Ridge -- A reproduction of the 1868
publication plus fugitive poems and notes. | |