University of Virginia Library

A little boy, with deep blue eyes
Flashing the glory of the skies—
With fair round cheeks, an only son,
Made ruddy by the Southern Sun—
Saw, from the verdant Vale below,
A Mountain in the morning glow,
Covered with everlasting snow—
Far up upon whose rocky height,
Exulting in the morning light,
Like Breastplate upon Aaron's breast,
Full towering over all the rest,
Which gave new glory to the Sun—
The glorious name of Washington!
While under it, shone from afar,
With glory like the Morning Star—
The glorious name—America!

Thus stood he in the Vale below,
Looking upon that Mountain's brow,
Like God's great Prophet, when he stood,
Burdened with Heaven, by Chebar flood—
Seeing this high-uplifted name
Burning upon the Mount of Fame,
There looked out of his deep blue eyes,
Flashing the glory of the skies—
The glorious hope that cannot die—
The light of immortality!

Thus stood he in the morning light,
Looking upon that Mountain's height,
When over his young cheeks there came
The lightnings of immortal fame.
Unsandaling, now, his feet of snow,
He rose up from the Vale below—
(Climbing Virginia's rocky wall—)
And wrote his name above them all!
Then, shouting with exultant voice,
Which made the very Stars rejoice,
Cried to the Angel in the Sun,
And to the name of Washington,
With transports that made glad the sky
With voice of immortality—
Gloria in Excelsis Domino!

An Eagle, that had built her nest
High on the rocky Mountain's crest,
Seeing him there at such a height,
Exulting in the morning light,
Rose with exultant scream on high,
And, climbing to the noonday sky,
Cried to the Angel in the Sun,
And to the Name of Washington—
This is the boy that cannot die—
The Child of Immortality!

Thus stood he on that Mountain brow,
Exulting in the Morning's glow—
The fairest of that heavenly Band
Of young Immortals, from the Land
Of Love—a Pilgrim of the Sun—
Shouting the name of Washington—
With hand onstretched above to bless
The world below with happiness—
Wearing upon his brow of day
The Chaplet of immortal bay,
Fed by the Eagles of the sky
With food of immortality;
For, like the Eaglets in their nest,
Was he by their affection blest.
There, Cupid, with the milk-white Doves
Of Venus, from the Paphian Groves,
Came flocking, with exultant joy,
To give delight to that young boy—
While Angels from the far-off skies
Rivers of rapturous melodies
Poured on his soul, till he became
The richest of the Heirs of Fame.

Thus stood he on that Mountain brow,
Exulting in the Morning's glow;
When he beheld, at early morn,
From the bright land where he was born,
A Maiden fairer than the Moon,
And brighter than the Sun at noon,
Coming along the Vale below,
With rosy Chaplets on her brow.
Hearing the Eagles scream his name,
She suddenly stopped with cheeks of flame,
And, lifting up her deep blue eyes
Flashing the glory of the skies,
(Seeing him there at such a height,
Exulting in the Morning light—)
Cried to the Angel in the Sun,
And to the name of Washington—
Victoria Aleluatica!

Thus stood he on that Mountain's brow,
The Sun that made the Moon below—
Hearing the Eagles scream his name—
The richest of the Heirs of Fame—
When, on the pinions of the Dove,
She visited his Home of Love,
With Sonnets of the fairest flowers
That ever blew in bosky bowers—
The odor of whose soul did plain
To him her heart's melodious pain.
Seeing from his high Mountain's brow,
This Angel in the Vale below,
Looking up at him with her eyes
Flashing the glory of the skies—
He felt, with an impatient heat,
His heart within his bosom beat.
But as she was not made to climb
To that great Mountain's height sublime,
To wed her, he was doomed to go
Down in the verdant Vale below—
For nothing now could give him rest,
But that sweet Joy that made him blest;
For Beauty, with her love divine,
Intoxicates the soul like wine.
Thus, glory-crowned, in robes of light,
He soared up from the World's dark night,
And sitting on the highest Sills,
With Angels, on the Eternal Hills,
Hears Heaven's immortal music roll
Down God's great Ages through his soul.
Te Deum Laudamus!