 | American poems, selected and original |  |
An ELEGY
On the burning of Fairfield, in Connecticut.
Written on the spot,—anno 1779.
BY COL. David Humphreys.
Ye smoking ruins, marks of hostile ire,
Ye ashes warm, which drink the tears that flow,
Ye desolated plains my voice inspire,
And give soft music to the song of woe!
Ye ashes warm, which drink the tears that flow,
Ye desolated plains my voice inspire,
And give soft music to the song of woe!
How pleasant, Fairfield, on th'enraptur'd sight
Rose thy tall spires, and op'd thy social halls!
How oft my bosom beat with pure delight,
At yonder spot, where stand the darken'd walls!
Rose thy tall spires, and op'd thy social halls!
How oft my bosom beat with pure delight,
At yonder spot, where stand the darken'd walls!
But there the voice of mirth resounds no more,
A silent sadness through the streets prevails,
The distant main alone is heard to roar,
And hollow chimnies hum with sullen gales;
A silent sadness through the streets prevails,
The distant main alone is heard to roar,
And hollow chimnies hum with sullen gales;
Save where scorch'd elms th'untimely foliage shed,
Which rustling hovers round the faded green;
Save where at twilight mourners frequent tread,
'Mid recent graves o'er desolation's scene.
Which rustling hovers round the faded green;
Save where at twilight mourners frequent tread,
'Mid recent graves o'er desolation's scene.
118
How chang'd the blissful prospect, when compar'd
These glooms funereal with thy former bloom:
Thy hospitable rights when Tryon shar'd,
Long ere he seal'd thy melancholly doom.
These glooms funereal with thy former bloom:
Thy hospitable rights when Tryon shar'd,
Long ere he seal'd thy melancholly doom.
That impious wretch, with coward voice decreed
Defenceless domes and hallow'd fanes to dust,
Beheld with sneering smile the wounded bleed,
And spurr'd his bands to rapine, blood and lust.
Defenceless domes and hallow'd fanes to dust,
Beheld with sneering smile the wounded bleed,
And spurr'd his bands to rapine, blood and lust.
Vain was the widow's, vain the orphan's cry,
To touch his feelings or to sooth his rage;
Vain the fair drop that roll'd from beauty's eye,
Vain the dumb grief of supplicating age.
To touch his feelings or to sooth his rage;
Vain the fair drop that roll'd from beauty's eye,
Vain the dumb grief of supplicating age.
Could Tryon hope to quench the patriot flame,
Or make his deeds survive in glory's page?
Could Britons seek of savages the fame,
Or deem it conquest thus the war to wage?
Or make his deeds survive in glory's page?
Could Britons seek of savages the fame,
Or deem it conquest thus the war to wage?
Yes, Britons scorn the councils of the skies,
Extend wide havoc, spurn the insulted foes!
Th'insulted foes to tenfold vengeance rise,
Resistance growing as the danger grows.
Extend wide havoc, spurn the insulted foes!
Th'insulted foes to tenfold vengeance rise,
Resistance growing as the danger grows.
Red in their wounds and pointing to the plain,
The visionary shapes before me stand;
The thunder bursts, the battle burns again,
And kindling fires encrimson all the strand.—
The visionary shapes before me stand;
The thunder bursts, the battle burns again,
And kindling fires encrimson all the strand.—
Long dusky wreaths of smoke, reluctant driven,
In blackening volumes o'er the landscape bend;
Here the broad splendor blazes high to heaven,
There umber'd streams in purple pomp ascend.
In blackening volumes o'er the landscape bend;
Here the broad splendor blazes high to heaven,
There umber'd streams in purple pomp ascend.
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In fiery eddies round the tott'ring walls,
Emitting sparks, the lighter fragments fly;
With frightful crash the burning mansion falls,
The works of years in glowing embers lye.
Emitting sparks, the lighter fragments fly;
With frightful crash the burning mansion falls,
The works of years in glowing embers lye.
Tryon! behold thy sanguine flames aspire,
Clouds ting'd with dyes intolerably bright!
Behold well pleas'd the village wrap'd in fire;
Let one wide ruin glut thy ravish'd sight!
Clouds ting'd with dyes intolerably bright!
Behold well pleas'd the village wrap'd in fire;
Let one wide ruin glut thy ravish'd sight!
Ere fades the grateful scene, indulge thine eye,
See age and sickness tremulously slow,
Creep from the flames—see babes in torture dye—
And mothers swoon in agonies of woe.
See age and sickness tremulously slow,
Creep from the flames—see babes in torture dye—
And mothers swoon in agonies of woe.
Go, gaze, enraptured with the mother's tear,
The infant's terror, and the captive's pain,
Where no bold bands can check thy curst career;
Mix fire with blood on each unguarded plain.
The infant's terror, and the captive's pain,
Where no bold bands can check thy curst career;
Mix fire with blood on each unguarded plain.
These be thy triumphs! this thy boasted fame!
Daughters of mem'ry, raise the deathless songs!
Repeat through endless years his hated name,
Embalm his crimes and teach the world our wrongs!
Daughters of mem'ry, raise the deathless songs!
Repeat through endless years his hated name,
Embalm his crimes and teach the world our wrongs!
| American poems, selected and original | |