The Writings of Bret Harte standard library edition |
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THE CONSERVATIVE BRIDGE OF SIGHS
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 | The Writings of Bret Harte |  |
THE CONSERVATIVE BRIDGE OF SIGHS
(After Hood)
Treat her with strategy,
Touch her with care,
Nor with rash energy
Harm one so fair!
Touch her with care,
Nor with rash energy
Harm one so fair!
Respect her sentiments,
So truly eloquent,
While still consistently
Drips from her clothing
Loyal blood—Look at it,
Loving not loathing.
So truly eloquent,
While still consistently
Drips from her clothing
Loyal blood—Look at it,
Loving not loathing.
Make no deep scrutiny
Into her mutiny;
Rash and undutiful,
Past all dishonor,
Blight has left on her
Only the beautiful.
Into her mutiny;
Rash and undutiful,
Past all dishonor,
Blight has left on her
Only the beautiful.
Still for these slips of hers,
One of Abe's family
Wipe those pale lips of hers,
Spitting so clammily;
Bring back her chattels,
Her fond valued chattels,
Where'er they may roam;
Hand-cuff 'em, chain 'em, and
Send 'em back home.
Seek not to damage
Her own institution;
Tenderly put back
The old Constitution.
One of Abe's family
Wipe those pale lips of hers,
Spitting so clammily;
Bring back her chattels,
Her fond valued chattels,
Where'er they may roam;
Hand-cuff 'em, chain 'em, and
Send 'em back home.
347
Her own institution;
Tenderly put back
The old Constitution.
Where the lights quiver,
So far down the river,
For many a night,
In ditches and trenches—
McClellan's defenses—
The conflict commences,
But never a fight!
So far down the river,
For many a night,
In ditches and trenches—
McClellan's defenses—
The conflict commences,
But never a fight!
Best they should tarry where
Dreadful malaria
Racks them with pain;
But let no contraband
Lend them a helping hand,
If you 've a care for
The Union again.
Dreadful malaria
Racks them with pain;
But let no contraband
Lend them a helping hand,
If you 've a care for
The Union again.
Perishing gloomily;
Spurred by old womanly,
Feeble loquacity,
Weak incapacity,
Gone to its rest.
Still pertinacity
Says it is best.
Spurred by old womanly,
Feeble loquacity,
Weak incapacity,
Gone to its rest.
Still pertinacity
Says it is best.
Should the North rigidly
Stiffen too frigidly,
Decently—kindly—
Smooth and compose them,
And their eyes close them,
Staring so blindly,
Dreadfully staring
Through muddy impurity,
As that glance of daring,
The soldier despairing,
Fixed on Futurity.
Stiffen too frigidly,
Decently—kindly—
Smooth and compose them,
And their eyes close them,
Staring so blindly,
348
Through muddy impurity,
As that glance of daring,
The soldier despairing,
Fixed on Futurity.
Thus with such strategy
Still the South spare,
Nor with rash energy
Harm one so fair.
Still the South spare,
Nor with rash energy
Harm one so fair.
Owning the weakness
Of her institution,
And saving her under
The old Constitution.
Of her institution,
And saving her under
The old Constitution.
| The Writings of Bret Harte | |