 | The poetical works of Edward Rowland Sill |  |
315
A HYMN OF HOPE
FOR THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY
Has, then, our boyhood vanished,
And rosy morning fled?
Are faith and ardor banished,
Is daring courage dead?
Still runs the olden river
By meadow, hill, and wood,—
Where are the hearts that ever
Beat high with royal blood?
And rosy morning fled?
Are faith and ardor banished,
Is daring courage dead?
Still runs the olden river
By meadow, hill, and wood,—
Where are the hearts that ever
Beat high with royal blood?
The golden dreams we cherished
Pacing the ancient town,—
Have they but bloomed and perished,
And flown like thistledown?
Nay, still the air is haunted
With mystery as of old;
Each blossom is enchanted,
And every leaflet's fold.
Pacing the ancient town,—
Have they but bloomed and perished,
And flown like thistledown?
Nay, still the air is haunted
With mystery as of old;
Each blossom is enchanted,
And every leaflet's fold.
Not one fair hope we hearkened,
But still to youth returns;
Not one clear light hath darkened,—
Still for some breast it burns:
Though age by age is lying
Beneath the gathering mould,
Life's dawn-light is undying,
Its dreams grow never old.
But still to youth returns;
Not one clear light hath darkened,—
Still for some breast it burns:
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Beneath the gathering mould,
Life's dawn-light is undying,
Its dreams grow never old.
As the great faithful planet
Goes plunging on its track,
Thought still shall bravely man it,
And steer through storm and wrack;
While but three souls are toiling
Who would give all for right,
Whom gold nor fame is spoiling,
Whose prayer is but for light;
Goes plunging on its track,
Thought still shall bravely man it,
And steer through storm and wrack;
While but three souls are toiling
Who would give all for right,
Whom gold nor fame is spoiling,
Whose prayer is but for light;
While there are found a handful
Of spirits vowed to truth,
Clear-eyed, courageous, manful,
And comrades as in youth;
Out of the darkness sunward,
Out of the night to day,
While all the worlds swing onward,
Life shall not lose its way.
Of spirits vowed to truth,
Clear-eyed, courageous, manful,
And comrades as in youth;
Out of the darkness sunward,
Out of the night to day,
While all the worlds swing onward,
Life shall not lose its way.
When to the man-soul lonely
The loving gods came down,
Earth gave the mantle only,
Free mind the immortal crown.
Wild force with cloud-wraith stature
Unsealed shall tower in vain,
And the fierce Afreet, Nature,
Obey the sceptred brain.
The loving gods came down,
Earth gave the mantle only,
Free mind the immortal crown.
Wild force with cloud-wraith stature
Unsealed shall tower in vain,
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Obey the sceptred brain.
O heart of man immortal,
Beat on in love and cheer!
Somewhere the cloudy portal
Of all thy prayers shall clear.
The fair earth's mighty measure
Of life, untouched by rime,
Through star-dust and through azure
Rolls on to endless time.
Beat on in love and cheer!
Somewhere the cloudy portal
Of all thy prayers shall clear.
The fair earth's mighty measure
Of life, untouched by rime,
Through star-dust and through azure
Rolls on to endless time.
The power that motes inherit,
That bud and crystal find,
Hath not forgotten spirit,
Nor left the soul behind.
O'er Time's dumb forces fleeting
This victory we begin,
Dear eye-beams and the beating
Of heart with heart shall win.
That bud and crystal find,
Hath not forgotten spirit,
Nor left the soul behind.
O'er Time's dumb forces fleeting
This victory we begin,
Dear eye-beams and the beating
Of heart with heart shall win.
| The poetical works of Edward Rowland Sill | |