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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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NORMAN MAURICE;
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ACT I.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
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ACT II.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
 5. 
SCENE V.
 6. 
SCENE VI.
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ACT III.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
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ACT IV.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
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ACT V.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
 5. 
SCENE V.
 6. 
SCENE VI.
 7. 
SCENE VII.
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ATALANTIS; A STORY OF THE SEA.
  
[prologue]
  
[castlist]
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ACT I.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
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ACT II.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
 5. 
SCENE V.
 6. 
SCENE VI.
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ACT III.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
  
THE CASSIQUE OF ACCABEE;
  
ALBERT AND ROSALIE
  
A STORY OF GOD'S JUDGMENT.
  
THE LAST FIELDS OF THE BILOXI;
  
THE HUNTER OF CALAWASSEE;
  
THE SHIP OF THE PALATINES.
  
THE TRYST OF ACAYMA.
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VASCO NUNEZ;
 1. 
I.
 2. 
II.
  
THE SIOUX BOY;
  
THE SYREN OF TSELICA;
  
THE CITY OF THE SILENT.
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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.
 1. 
1. FREEDOM OF THE SABBATH.
 2. 
[2.] FLOWERS AND TREES.
 3. 
3. THE SAME SUBJECT.
 4. 
4. RELIGIOUS MUSINGS.
 5. 
5. SOLACE OF THE WOODS.
 6. 
6. POETRY OF 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.
 1. 
[I. Voices are on the winds!—I hear them now]
 2. 
[II. Nor only of delight! The music swells]
 3. 
[III. Whoso denies this wholesome, natural want]
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SONNETS.—POPULAR MISDIRECTION.
 1. 
[I. How went the cry in Greece, an ominous sound]
 2. 
[II. We are no more a people of the free]
 3. 
[III. Sudden, the mighty nation goes not down]
 4. 
[IV. Would we recall our virtues and our peace]
  
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.
 1. 
[I. True,—love hath its perils and denials—takes]
 2. 
[II. It is, indeed, the nature that acquires]
 3. 
[III. Not such are love's true sorrows;—in her fate]
 4. 
[IV. That stroke which shatters the devoted heart]
 5. 
[V. Thus is it that the heart which other woe]
 6. 
[VI. No fruits, no life!—what matter if the tree]
  
MOTHER AND CHILD.
  
COME, WHEN THE EVENING INTO SILENCE CLOSES.
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SONNETS.
 1. 
I. TROPHIES.—HOW PLANTED.
 2. 
II. WHERE PLANTED.
 3. 
III. TRIUMPH.
 4. 
IV. GLORY AND ENDURING FAME.
  
THE SWALLOWS.
  
SONNET.—DEATH IN YOUTH.
  
SUNSET PIECE.
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SONNETS.—TO MY FRIEND.
 1. 
[I. Ambition owns no friend yet be thou mine]
 2. 
[II. Thou wilt remark my fate when I am dead]
  
FLOWERS IN AUTUMN.
  
THE LAND OF THE PINE.
  
THE INUTILE PURSUIT.
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SONNETS.—THE SOUL IN IMAGINATIVE ART.
 1. 
[I. Methinks each noble purpose of man's heart]
 2. 
[II. Thy thought but whisper'd rises up a spirit]
 3. 
[III. At every whisper we endow with life]
  
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.
 1. 
[I. Not in the rashness of warm confidence]
 2. 
[II. Even as the boy whom the stern prophet sire]
  
TO THE MOCK-BIRD,
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SONNETS.—DESPONDENCY AND SELF-REPROACH.
 1. 
[I. Oh friend, but thou art come to see me die]
 2. 
[II. Hadst thou come sooner! But 'tis not too late]
 3. 
[III. Ah! thou didst use to steer her chartfully]
  
STANZAS IN APRIL.
  
A LAST PRAYER.
  
ZEPHYRS, THAT WAIT ON MY LADY.
  
SUMMER-NIGHT WIND.
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SONNETS.—PROGRESS IN DENIAL.
 1. 
[I. “Yet, onward still!” the spirit cries within]
 2. 
[II. Thousands must perish in this hopeless strife]
  
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.
 1. 
I.—CHAUCER.
 2. 
II.—SHAKSPEARE.
 3. 
III.—THE SAME.
 4. 
IV.—SPENSER.
 5. 
V.—MILTON.
 6. 
VI.—BURNS.
 7. 
VII.—SCOTT.
 8. 
VIII.—BYRON.
 9. 
IX.—A GROUP.
  
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.
 1. 
I. THE APPROACH OF WINTER.
 2. 
[II. Yet bitter were the lessons of that past]
 3. 
III. CHILDHOOD.
 4. 
IV. YOUTH.
 5. 
V. STRUGGLE.
 6. 
VI. MANHOOD.
  
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.
 1. 
[I. Not profitless the game, even when we lose]
 2. 
[II. And this, methinks, were no unseemly boast]
 3. 
[III. And other lessons of humanity]
  
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.
 1. 
[I. Ah me! that sleeping like Endymion]
 2. 
[II. Upon the poet's soul they flash forever]
  
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.
 1. 
I. FAERY GLIMPSES.
 2. 
II. CHILD FANCIES.
  
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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CAIUS MARIUS.
 1. 
I.
 2. 
II.
 3. 
III.
 4. 
IV.
 5. 
V.
 6. 
VI.
 7. 
VII.
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BERTRAM:
 1. 
I.
 2. 
II.
 3. 
III.
 4. 
IV.
 5. 
V.
  
THE DEATH OF CLEOPATRA.
  
SAUL AT ENDOR.
  
SAUL'S LAST BATTLE.
  
THE REBELLION OF ABSALOM.
  
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI.

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311

VII.

But dark the hour impends—the storm is nigh,
And thy proud eagles flaunt no more the sky;
Thou hast not kept thy virtues to the last,
And all thy glories centre in thy past—
Thy safety in thy glories. From beneath
Thine altars swells the midnight cry of death;
The tocsin summons—not to brave the foe,
But to make bare thy bosom to the blow;
From thy own quiver flies the shaft of doom,
From thy own children hollow out thy tomb.
The exulting shouts that mock thee in thy shame,
Were those that led thee once to heights of fame:
The bird that swoops to riot on thy breast,
Is the same eagle that made great thy nest.
Hark! at his shrilly scream the sleuth-hounds wake,
The bloody thirst which in thy heart they slake;
Thy proud patricians, hunted down, survey
The herds they kept, most busy with the prey.
These are the flocks they foster'd from their foes,
And these are first to drink the blood that flows.
Wondrous the arts of vengeance, to inspire
The madden'd son to prey upon the sire!
Wondrous the skill that fierce plebeian wields
To make this last the bloodiest of his fields.
Vain all thy prayer and struggle—thou art down—
His iron footstep planted on thy crown;
But in thy fate, 'tis something for thy pride,
Thus self-destroy'd, thou mighty suicide!
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