 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
92
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
WRITTEN AS A CALL TO THE GATHERING OF THE SONS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, IN 1852.
Hark! 'tis New Hampshire's voice we hear,
But not in dread, as erst it spoke,
When trouble's clouds were hovering near,
And o'er her hills in terror broke.
But not in dread, as erst it spoke,
When trouble's clouds were hovering near,
And o'er her hills in terror broke.
When the fierce savage lit the flame
With hands dyed red in human life,
And mortal woe made loud acclaim
Amid the din of midnight strife.
With hands dyed red in human life,
And mortal woe made loud acclaim
Amid the din of midnight strife.
Not now as when, with wrong oppressed,
Her heroes buckled on the sword,
Bared to their country's foes their breast,
And in its cause their life-blood poured.
Her heroes buckled on the sword,
Bared to their country's foes their breast,
And in its cause their life-blood poured.
Not now as when her battle peal
Gave fierce defiance to the foe,
And, right-impelled, the gleaming steel
Smote quick and strong the avenging blow.
Gave fierce defiance to the foe,
And, right-impelled, the gleaming steel
Smote quick and strong the avenging blow.
Her summons ne'er was given in vain,—
An answering note from hill and glen
Echoed on many a battle plain,
In mighty deeds of gallant men.
An answering note from hill and glen
Echoed on many a battle plain,
In mighty deeds of gallant men.
93
The voice we hear breathes not of war,
Nor aught of terror doth impart;
It tells no tale delight to mar,
Nor thrills with anguished doubt the heart.
Nor aught of terror doth impart;
It tells no tale delight to mar,
Nor thrills with anguished doubt the heart.
Like music notes that call to peace
It bids us to her courts repair,
For one brief hour to find release
From worldly strife and turmoil there.
It bids us to her courts repair,
For one brief hour to find release
From worldly strife and turmoil there.
To joy in memory of the past,
To brush away the dust of years,
To bring back scenes too fair to last,
Oft wakened with regretful tears;
To brush away the dust of years,
To bring back scenes too fair to last,
Oft wakened with regretful tears;
And times when deeds of after date
Were shadowed in each boyish plan,
Revealing in the child's estate
The mighty promise of the man.
Were shadowed in each boyish plan,
Revealing in the child's estate
The mighty promise of the man.
Mother! we hear thy kindly voice,—
We fling discordant feelings by;
Brother with brother shall rejoice,
And at thy summons gladly fly.
We fling discordant feelings by;
Brother with brother shall rejoice,
And at thy summons gladly fly.
We pledge thee fondly, and the toast
Each breast with warm emotion fills:—
“The good old state we love the most,
Enthroned upon her thousand hills!”
Each breast with warm emotion fills:—
“The good old state we love the most,
Enthroned upon her thousand hills!”
| Rhymes with reason and without | |