 | The battle of Niagara |  |
Thus—thus he 'woke his harp again;
A strange enthusiastick strain;
And kneeling on the naked ground,
Filled all the mountain echoes round:
Then swept the chords, as if to raise
The spirit of departed days!
That harper had an audience there—
In heaven, and earth, and in the air!
Then, bending o'er the chords, he smote
A thronging—bold—exulting note—
And stood erect!—then flashed the wires!
Then came the stormy clash of lyres!
And had ye heard the rolling song,
So full—triumphant—and so strong—
Ye never had believed that one
Thro' such a boundless theme could run.
It was the noise of countless wings!
Of countless harps!—with countless strings;
Of distant fifes—and echoing drums—
Of soldier-hymning when it comes
Upon the shifting breeze of night,
In farewells to the dying light,
When steeds are forth, and banners blaze,
Unfolding in the sun's last rays—
And squadrons o'er the plain are dashing—
And martial helms are nodding free
In youth's bold-hearted revelry—
And woman goes before the sight,
In airy pageantry and light,
With shawl and high-plumed bonnet flashir
A strange enthusiastick strain;
And kneeling on the naked ground,
Filled all the mountain echoes round:
Then swept the chords, as if to raise
The spirit of departed days!
That harper had an audience there—
In heaven, and earth, and in the air!
Then, bending o'er the chords, he smote
A thronging—bold—exulting note—
And stood erect!—then flashed the wires!
Then came the stormy clash of lyres!
And had ye heard the rolling song,
So full—triumphant—and so strong—
Ye never had believed that one
Thro' such a boundless theme could run.
It was the noise of countless wings!
Of countless harps!—with countless strings;
208
Of soldier-hymning when it comes
Upon the shifting breeze of night,
In farewells to the dying light,
When steeds are forth, and banners blaze,
Unfolding in the sun's last rays—
And squadrons o'er the plain are dashing—
And martial helms are nodding free
In youth's bold-hearted revelry—
And woman goes before the sight,
In airy pageantry and light,
With shawl and high-plumed bonnet flashir
| The battle of Niagara | |