 | The lost pleiad ; and other poems |  |
THE DEATH OF JEFFERSON.
“I have done for my country, and for all mankind, all that I could do, and now I resign my soul, without fear, to my God, and my daughter to my country.”—
Jefferson's Dying Words.
The eloquent tongue is mute,
The eagle eye is dim;
He hears not thy salute—
What is this world to him?
For though an earthquake rent
The mighty earth in twain,
And shook the firmament—
He would not wake again!
The eagle eye is dim;
He hears not thy salute—
What is this world to him?
For though an earthquake rent
The mighty earth in twain,
And shook the firmament—
He would not wake again!
All that was earthly, lies
Low in his grave beneath!
His heavenly part defies
The mightiness of Death!
Then let the thunders roll,
The mighty cannons roar—
They cannot reach his soul
Upon that happy shore!
Low in his grave beneath!
His heavenly part defies
The mightiness of Death!
Then let the thunders roll,
The mighty cannons roar—
They cannot reach his soul
Upon that happy shore!
All that he wished below
From mortal man, was given—
What earth could not bestow
Is granted him in Heaven.
For, fed by Freedom's hand,
He grew, from infancy,
The mightiest of the land—
His cradle Liberty.
From mortal man, was given—
What earth could not bestow
Is granted him in Heaven.
For, fed by Freedom's hand,
He grew, from infancy,
The mightiest of the land—
His cradle Liberty.
He prayed but to survive
To see that blessed day,
And God said, Let him live!
And Death then passed away.
And strengthened, soothed, sustained
By that Mysterious Power,
He never more complained,
But mended from that hour.
To see that blessed day,
And God said, Let him live!
And Death then passed away.
And strengthened, soothed, sustained
By that Mysterious Power,
He never more complained,
But mended from that hour.
His faith had power to cause
That which was not to be,
And baffled Nature's laws,
And flattered Destiny.
His soul was in the faith
Of living anchored fast;
And when he bowed to Death,
The time he wished was past.
That which was not to be,
And baffled Nature's laws,
And flattered Destiny.
His soul was in the faith
Of living anchored fast;
And when he bowed to Death,
The time he wished was past.
He saw the Fields of Bliss
Spread out before his eyes,
A brighter world than this—
The Heavenly Paradise.
And, Prophet-like, he stood
Upon the Mount of Time,
And saw, beyond the flood,
Eternity, sublime!
Spread out before his eyes,
A brighter world than this—
The Heavenly Paradise.
And, Prophet-like, he stood
Upon the Mount of Time,
And saw, beyond the flood,
Eternity, sublime!
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He went not down as one
That knew mortality;
But set as sets the sun
Upon the far-off sea!
And though his lips are mute,
His eagle eye is dim—
He hears not thy salute—
We have the light of him.
That knew mortality;
But set as sets the sun
Upon the far-off sea!
And though his lips are mute,
His eagle eye is dim—
He hears not thy salute—
We have the light of him.
The hand of God above
Led him along the way
Of never-dying love,
To Everlasting Day.
Bright as th' eternal sun,
The Lord of Heaven, shall be
The race that thou hast run,
Through all eternity.
Led him along the way
Of never-dying love,
To Everlasting Day.
Bright as th' eternal sun,
The Lord of Heaven, shall be
The race that thou hast run,
Through all eternity.
Then shout for him no more—
Cease now your revelry—
For who can hail that shore
Which bounds eternity?
For, in that far-off Land,
Beyond the reach of thought—
He joins the Patriot Band
Who first for Freedom fought.
Cease now your revelry—
For who can hail that shore
Which bounds eternity?
For, in that far-off Land,
Beyond the reach of thought—
He joins the Patriot Band
Who first for Freedom fought.
July 4th, 1838.
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