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Poems descriptive, dramatic, legendary and contemplative

Simms, William Gilmore (1806-1870)

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VOL. I.
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NORMAN MAURICE;
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ACT I.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
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ACT II.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
 5. 
SCENE V.
 6. 
SCENE VI.
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ACT III.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
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ACT IV.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
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ACT V.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
 5. 
SCENE V.
 6. 
SCENE VI.
 7. 
SCENE VII.
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ATALANTIS; A STORY OF THE SEA.
  
[prologue]
  
[castlist]
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ACT I.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
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ACT II.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
 5. 
SCENE V.
 6. 
SCENE VI.
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ACT III.
 1. 
SCENE I.
 2. 
SCENE II.
 3. 
SCENE III.
 4. 
SCENE IV.
  
THE CASSIQUE OF ACCABEE;
  
ALBERT AND ROSALIE
  
A STORY OF GOD'S JUDGMENT.
  
THE LAST FIELDS OF THE BILOXI;
  
THE HUNTER OF CALAWASSEE;
  
THE SHIP OF THE PALATINES.
  
THE TRYST OF ACAYMA.
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VASCO NUNEZ;
 1. 
I.
 2. 
II.
  
THE SIOUX BOY;
  
THE SYREN OF TSELICA;
  
THE CITY OF THE SILENT.
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VOL. II.
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SOUTHERN PASSAGES AND PICTURES.
  
FLIGHT TO NATURE.
  
THE BROOKLET.
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SABBATH IN THE FOREST.
 1. 
1. FREEDOM OF THE SABBATH.
 2. 
[2.] FLOWERS AND TREES.
 3. 
3. THE SAME SUBJECT.
 4. 
4. RELIGIOUS MUSINGS.
 5. 
5. SOLACE OF THE WOODS.
 6. 
6. POETRY OF THE FOREST.
  
THE LOST PLEIAD.
  
FIRST DAY OF SPRING.
  
BALLAD.
  
SONNET.—BY THE SWANANNOA.
  
TO TIME.
  
THE TRAVELLER'S REST.
  
THE MOCK-BIRD.
  
AUTUMN TWILIGHT.
  
BALLAD.
  
HAST THOU A SONG FOR A FLOWER.
  
ENIGMA.
  
SONNET.
  
TO THE BREEZE.
  
LYRICAL BALLAD.
  
THE NEW MOON.
  
FOREST REVERIE BY STARLIGHT.
  
INSCRIPTION FOR THERMOPYLÆ.
  
BY THE EDISTO.
  
THE APPROACH OF SUMMER.
  
NIGHT STORM.
  
“WELL,” SANG A BLUE-EYED DAMSEL.
  
NATURE'S FAVORITE.
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SONNETS.—DAWNINGS OF FANCY.
 1. 
[I. Voices are on the winds!—I hear them now]
 2. 
[II. Nor only of delight! The music swells]
 3. 
[III. Whoso denies this wholesome, natural want]
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SONNETS.—POPULAR MISDIRECTION.
 1. 
[I. How went the cry in Greece, an ominous sound]
 2. 
[II. We are no more a people of the free]
 3. 
[III. Sudden, the mighty nation goes not down]
 4. 
[IV. Would we recall our virtues and our peace]
  
THE FIRST DREAM OF LOVE.
  
HAUNTED WOODS.—A FRAGMENT.
  
THE STATESMAN.
  
SLEEPING CHILD.
  
THE GRAPE-VINE SWING.
  
SONNET.—THE OLD MASTERS.
  
SEASIDE SOLITUDE.
  
MENTAL SOLITUDE.
  
“SUCH, O BEAUTY!”
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SONNETS.—THE CAPRICE OF THE SENSIBILITIES.
 1. 
[I. True,—love hath its perils and denials—takes]
 2. 
[II. It is, indeed, the nature that acquires]
 3. 
[III. Not such are love's true sorrows;—in her fate]
 4. 
[IV. That stroke which shatters the devoted heart]
 5. 
[V. Thus is it that the heart which other woe]
 6. 
[VI. No fruits, no life!—what matter if the tree]
  
MOTHER AND CHILD.
  
COME, WHEN THE EVENING INTO SILENCE CLOSES.
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SONNETS.
 1. 
I. TROPHIES.—HOW PLANTED.
 2. 
II. WHERE PLANTED.
 3. 
III. TRIUMPH.
 4. 
IV. GLORY AND ENDURING FAME.
  
THE SWALLOWS.
  
SONNET.—DEATH IN YOUTH.
  
SUNSET PIECE.
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SONNETS.—TO MY FRIEND.
 1. 
[I. Ambition owns no friend yet be thou mine]
 2. 
[II. Thou wilt remark my fate when I am dead]
  
FLOWERS IN AUTUMN.
  
THE LAND OF THE PINE.
  
THE INUTILE PURSUIT.
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SONNETS.—THE SOUL IN IMAGINATIVE ART.
 1. 
[I. Methinks each noble purpose of man's heart]
 2. 
[II. Thy thought but whisper'd rises up a spirit]
 3. 
[III. At every whisper we endow with life]
  
THE SHADED WATER.
  
AT A CHILD'S GRAVE.
  
REMINISCENCE.
  
EVENING BY THE SEA-SHORE.
  
CONGAREE BOAT-HORN BY MOONLIGHT.
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SONNETS.—INVOLUNTARY STRUGGLE.
 1. 
[I. Not in the rashness of warm confidence]
 2. 
[II. Even as the boy whom the stern prophet sire]
  
TO THE MOCK-BIRD,
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SONNETS.—DESPONDENCY AND SELF-REPROACH.
 1. 
[I. Oh friend, but thou art come to see me die]
 2. 
[II. Hadst thou come sooner! But 'tis not too late]
 3. 
[III. Ah! thou didst use to steer her chartfully]
  
STANZAS IN APRIL.
  
A LAST PRAYER.
  
ZEPHYRS, THAT WAIT ON MY LADY.
  
SUMMER-NIGHT WIND.
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SONNETS.—PROGRESS IN DENIAL.
 1. 
[I. “Yet, onward still!” the spirit cries within]
 2. 
[II. Thousands must perish in this hopeless strife]
  
BALLAD.
  
IMMORTALITY.
  
EVENING AT SEA.
  
WHERE BY DARRO'S EVENING WATERS.
  
SOUL-FLIGHT.
  
THE CHILD-ANGEL.
  
CAPE HATTERAS.
  
SONNET.—THE AGE OF GOLD.
  
BILLOWS.
  
FALL OF THE LEAF.
  
THE EUTAW MAID.
  
ALF-SONG.
  
STANZAS.
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HEADS OF THE POETS.
 1. 
I.—CHAUCER.
 2. 
II.—SHAKSPEARE.
 3. 
III.—THE SAME.
 4. 
IV.—SPENSER.
 5. 
V.—MILTON.
 6. 
VI.—BURNS.
 7. 
VII.—SCOTT.
 8. 
VIII.—BYRON.
 9. 
IX.—A GROUP.
  
SONNET TO THE PAST.
  
STANZAS.
  
THE WESTERN EMIGRANTS.
  
FIRST PURPOSELESS STRIVINGS OF THE IMAGINATION.
  
STANZAS.
  
THE DECAY OF A PEOPLE.
  
THE TEXAN HUNTER.
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SONNETS.
 1. 
I. THE APPROACH OF WINTER.
 2. 
[II. Yet bitter were the lessons of that past]
 3. 
III. CHILDHOOD.
 4. 
IV. YOUTH.
 5. 
V. STRUGGLE.
 6. 
VI. MANHOOD.
  
THE SHADE-TREES.
  
THE SACRIFICE UPON OUR ALTARS.
  
OH! WELCOME YE THE STRANGER.
  
CHILDRENS' EVENING GAMBOLS.
  
THE MINIATURE.
  
BEAUTY'S SPRING-TIME.
  
THE UNQUIET SPIRIT.
  
SONNET.—REPROACH AND CONSOLATION.
  
BALLAD.
  
SUMMER WEST WIND.
  
THE KINGS IN SHEOL.
  
MONNA.
  
UR-LIGHT.
  
THE LONELY ISLET.
  
SYBILLA.
  
THE BURDEN OF THE DESERT.
  
THE EDGE OF THE SWAMP.
  
THE STRUGGLE OF ENDOWMENT WITH FORTUNE.
  
MORAL CHANGE.
  
SONNET.—FRIENDSHIP.
  
THE LAY OF THE CARIB DAMSEL.
  
THE MAGIC VOICE.
  
ELODIE.
  
NIGHT-WATCHING.
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SONNETS.—RECOMPENSE.
 1. 
[I. Not profitless the game, even when we lose]
 2. 
[II. And this, methinks, were no unseemly boast]
 3. 
[III. And other lessons of humanity]
  
SUMMER IN THE SOUTH.
  
HEART ESSENTIAL TO GENIUS.
  
THE CAPTIVE.
  
TWINS IN DEATH.
  
GLORY.
  
BALLAD.—WHERE ART THOU?
  
FANCY.
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SONNETS.—SPIRIT-FLIGHTS.
 1. 
[I. Ah me! that sleeping like Endymion]
 2. 
[II. Upon the poet's soul they flash forever]
  
YES, LONE WERE MY BOSOM.
  
SONNET.—AIMS.
  
CHANGES OF HOME.
  
THE FOREST GRAVE.
  
THOU HAST EYES LIKE STARS.
  
“LA BOLSA DE LAS SIERRAS.”
  
SONG IN MARCH.
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SONNETS.
 1. 
I. FAERY GLIMPSES.
 2. 
II. CHILD FANCIES.
  
MORNING IN THE FOREST.
  
REPININGS.
  
WONDERS OF THE SEA.
  
IMAGINATION.
  
'TIS A LOWLY GRAVE.
  
SILENCE.
  
VIA SACRA.
  
THE BARD.
  
BLESSINGS ON CHILDREN.
  
THE HURRICANE.
  
SONG.—THE BREEZE THAT SIGHS.
  
ON THE DEATH OF AN OBSCURE CITIZEN.
  
ABANDONMENT.
  
THE IMMORTALITY OF THE BELOVED.
  
IN ABSENCE.
  
AT PARTING.
  
MORAL EXILE.
  
THE STREAMLET.
  
SPRING TIME.
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HISTORICAL LEGENDS.
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CAIUS MARIUS.
 1. 
I.
 2. 
II.
 3. 
III.
 4. 
IV.
 5. 
V.
 6. 
VI.
 7. 
VII.
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BERTRAM:
 1. 
I.
 2. 
II.
 3. 
III.
 4. 
IV.
 5. 
V.
  
THE DEATH OF CLEOPATRA.
  
SAUL AT ENDOR.
  
SAUL'S LAST BATTLE.
  
THE REBELLION OF ABSALOM.
  
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI.

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193

UR-LIGHT.

Ere, at first, the seals were broken,
And the motive word had spoken,
Earth was but an idiot wonder,
Born in cloud and clad in thunder;
Blindly striving, vainly roaring,
Wildly plunging, feebly soaring,
Whirling with a fretful motion
Like a ship in peevish ocean;—
Graceless all, in grove and fountain,
Shapeless all, in vale and mountain;—
Hopeless, heartless, songless, sightless,
Cold and dismal, soulless, sprightless;—
Little dreaming then of glory,
Which should make so sweet a story
Music-weaving, music-winning,
Closing sweet for sweet beginning;
Borne across the tract of ages,
Still in sweet successive stages,—
In their daily march untying,
Sounds forever thence undying;—
In their daily music, freeing,
Souls, forever thence in being;—
Beauty still, for song revealing,
Love, that finds for beauty, feeling,—
Hope that knows what truth shall follow,—
Truth that hope alone shall hallow!
But a word must first be spoken,
Ere the heavy seals are broken;
And bright clouds of spirits, chosen,—
Watchful, never once reposing,
194

Hang amid the void, upgazing,
Where the great world's soul is blazing.
Hark! a voice is heard, as calling,
And a star is seen, as falling,
Star of soul, whose spell symphonious,
Makes stars, systems, suns, harmonious!
Oh! that blessed sound, that thrilling
Earth and matter, make them willing!
Hark! the angels join, rejoicing
As they hear that highest voicing;
Stills the ocean, wildly rushing,
As their melody is gushing;—
Lo! the volcan stays his thunder,
And his red eyes ope in wonder!—
Earth, no longer blind, rejoices,
Clapping hands and lifting voices;
While the eastern sky is streaking,—
Hues of white, like lightning breaking,
Lighten ocean up with splendor,
Make the rugged mountains tender,
As still crowding into cluster,
They implore the growing lustre.
Tree and flow'ret, vale and mountain,
Plain and forest, lake and fountain,
Grove and prairie, rock and river,
Give their glories to the giver;—
Win their voices with their seeing,
Find, in light, their fount of being;
And at eve, its smile imploring,
Still, with dawn, begin adoring;—
Ah! by light eternal bidden,
Light shall never more be hidden.
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