 | Poems by John Howard Bryant |  |
201
POEM FOR DECEMBER 22D.
REWRITTEN AS READ AT FOREFATHER'S CELEBRATION, DEC. 22, 1879
Years bright and dark have sped away,
Since by New England's rocky shore
The Mayflower moored in Plymouth Bay
Amid the wintry tempest's roar.
Since by New England's rocky shore
The Mayflower moored in Plymouth Bay
Amid the wintry tempest's roar.
Few, worn and weak, that Pilgrim band;
An unknown coast before them rose—
A vast, unmeasured forest land,
Begirt with ice and clad with snows.
An unknown coast before them rose—
A vast, unmeasured forest land,
Begirt with ice and clad with snows.
Yet, dauntles, fearless, forth they trod
From that lone ship beside the sea,
Firm in the faith and truth of God,
To plant an Empire for the free.
From that lone ship beside the sea,
Firm in the faith and truth of God,
To plant an Empire for the free.
Ah, who can tell what toil and strife,
What griefs beset the Pilgrim's path;
How brave he bore the ills of life
And triumphed in the hour of death?
What griefs beset the Pilgrim's path;
How brave he bore the ills of life
And triumphed in the hour of death?
Strange, weird and wild the scenes around,
With trackless forests dark and deep,
Where silence, solemn and profound
An endless Sabbath seemed to keep.
With trackless forests dark and deep,
Where silence, solemn and profound
An endless Sabbath seemed to keep.
202
There in the evening's holy calm
And eke in morning's frosty air,
The Pilgrim trilled his sacred psalm,
And bowed his head in earnest prayer.
And eke in morning's frosty air,
The Pilgrim trilled his sacred psalm,
And bowed his head in earnest prayer.
He looked to God for every good—
For sun and rain and fruitful field;
And guardian angels round him stood,
His sword and his protecting shield.
For sun and rain and fruitful field;
And guardian angels round him stood,
His sword and his protecting shield.
Each passing year at autumn's close,
For temporal mercies largely given,
His voice in deep thanksgiving rose
And praises to the Lord of heaven.
For temporal mercies largely given,
His voice in deep thanksgiving rose
And praises to the Lord of heaven.
His were the errors of the time—
Intolerance and a mien severe;
His, too, a heroism sublime,
That cast out all unmanly fear.
Intolerance and a mien severe;
His, too, a heroism sublime,
That cast out all unmanly fear.
The blood poured out on Bunker's height,
At Brooklyn, Eutaw, Yorktown plains,
In deadly charge and stubborn fight,
Came from the stern old pilgrims veins.
At Brooklyn, Eutaw, Yorktown plains,
In deadly charge and stubborn fight,
Came from the stern old pilgrims veins.
He laid foundations; see, a State
In power and freedom rise to view.
He little thought how strong and great:
“He builded better than he knew.”
In power and freedom rise to view.
He little thought how strong and great:
“He builded better than he knew.”
203
The vine then planted by the sea
Has spread o'er mountain, wood and glade,
Sheltering a Nation, strong and free,
Whose children rest beneath its shade.
Has spread o'er mountain, wood and glade,
Sheltering a Nation, strong and free,
Whose children rest beneath its shade.
O'er a vast waste but late untrod—
Save by wild beasts and savage men—
Her swarming sons have spread abroad
On flowery plain and woody glen.
Save by wild beasts and savage men—
Her swarming sons have spread abroad
On flowery plain and woody glen.
Homes nestle on the mountain side,
Proud cities rise by mighty streams,
And wheat and maize fields spreading wide
Bask in the suns effulgent beams.
Proud cities rise by mighty streams,
And wheat and maize fields spreading wide
Bask in the suns effulgent beams.
There in fresh pastures roams the steed;
Unnumbered flocks by mountain rills;—
And sleek herds crop the grassy mead,
Or range upon a thousand hills.
Unnumbered flocks by mountain rills;—
And sleek herds crop the grassy mead,
Or range upon a thousand hills.
From one rude hamlet by the wood
How wide, how far have spread our lines,
Till o'er the vast Pacific's flood
Our glorious star of empire shines.
How wide, how far have spread our lines,
Till o'er the vast Pacific's flood
Our glorious star of empire shines.
Yet brighter, higher still that star,
With every passing year ascends.
Full soon its light shall shine afar
To gladden earth's remotest ends.
With every passing year ascends.
Full soon its light shall shine afar
To gladden earth's remotest ends.
204
Aye, soon the realms where darkness lies
And fell oppression reigns supreme,
Shall mark its dawn upon their skies,
And hail with joy its quickening beam.
And fell oppression reigns supreme,
Shall mark its dawn upon their skies,
And hail with joy its quickening beam.
Here on life's ever-swelling tide
A restless stream, deep, broad and strong,
Learning and freedom side by side,
With faith in God are borne along.
A restless stream, deep, broad and strong,
Learning and freedom side by side,
With faith in God are borne along.
Bless then the hand whose gentle might
Smoothed for our sires old ocean's breast.
Bless we this day whose morning light
Revealed the promised land of rest.
Smoothed for our sires old ocean's breast.
Bless we this day whose morning light
Revealed the promised land of rest.
| Poems by John Howard Bryant | |