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Joaquin Miller's Poems

[in six volumes]
Miller, Joaquin (1837-1913)

collapse section1. 
Volume One
  
[dedication]
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AN INTRODUCTION
  
WHEN LITTLE SISTER CAME
  
AT LORD BYRON'S TOMB.
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LATER LINES PREFERRED BY LONDON
  
COLUMBUS
  
THE MISSOURI
  
THE PASSING OF TENNYSON
  
THE AMERICAN OCEAN
  
THE BIRDS AND BEES
  
CALIFORNIA'S CUP OF GOLD
  
THE FORTUNATE ISLES
  
DON'T STOP AT THE STATION DESPAIR
  
TO RUSSIA
  
TO ANDREW CARNEGIE
  
TRUE GREATNESS
  
ON THE FIRING LINE
  
TO RACHAEL IN RUSSIA
  
CUBA LIBRE
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LESSONS FOR MY LOVERS
  
IS IT WORTH WHILE?
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LINES THAT PAPA LIKED
  
PLEASANT TO THE SIGHT
  
A HARD ROW FOR STUMPS
  
AT MARY'S FOUNTAIN, NAZARETH
  
TO SAVE A SOUL
  
THE VOICE OF THE DOVE
  
WASHINGTON BY THE DELAWARE
  
FOR THOSE WHO FAIL
  
THE LIGHT OF CHRIST'S FACE
  
CALIFORNIA'S RESURRECTION
  
IN MEN WHOM MEN CONDEMN
  
DEATH IS DELIGHTFUL
  
THE SONG OF THE SILENCE
  
THE TREES
  
THE LAST SUPPER
  
MOTHER EGYPT
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LINES MOTHER LIKED
  
OH, FOR ENGLAND'S OLD-TIME THUNDER!
  
THE BRAVEST BATTLE
  
THE DEAD CZAR
  
MOTHERS OF MEN
  
THE LITTLE BROWN MAN
  
CHILKOOT PASS
  
THE FOURTH IN HAWAIIAN WATERS
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Volume Two
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WALKER IN NICARAGUA
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CHANT I
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
 3. 
III
 4. 
IV
 5. 
V
 6. 
VI
 7. 
VII
 8. 
VIII
 9. 
IX
 10. 
X
 11. 
XI
 12. 
XII
 13. 
XIII
 14. 
XIV
 15. 
XV
 16. 
XVI
 17. 
XVII
 18. 
XVIII
 19. 
XIX
 20. 
XX
 21. 
XXI
 22. 
XXII
 23. 
XXIII
 24. 
XXIV
 25. 
XXV
 26. 
XXVI
 27. 
XXVII
 28. 
XXVIII
 29. 
XXIX
 30. 
XXX
 31. 
XXXI
 32. 
XXXII
 33. 
XXXIII
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CHANT II
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
 3. 
III
 4. 
IV
 5. 
V
 6. 
VI
 7. 
VII
 8. 
VIII
 9. 
IX
 10. 
X
 11. 
XI
 12. 
XII
 13. 
XIII
 14. 
XIV
 15. 
XV
 16. 
XVI
 17. 
XVII
 18. 
XVIII
 19. 
XIX
 20. 
XX
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CHANT III
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
 3. 
III
 4. 
IV
 5. 
V
 6. 
VI
 7. 
VII
 8. 
VIII
 9. 
IX
 10. 
X
 11. 
XI
 12. 
XII
 13. 
XIII
 14. 
XIV
 15. 
XV
 16. 
XVI
 17. 
XVII
 18. 
XVIII
 19. 
XIX
 20. 
XX
 21. 
XXI
 22. 
XXII
 23. 
XXIII
 24. 
XXIV
 25. 
XXV
 26. 
XXVI
 27. 
XXVII
 28. 
XXVIII
 29. 
XXIX
 30. 
XXX
 31. 
XXXI
 32. 
XXXII
 33. 
XXXIII
 34. 
XXXIV
 35. 
XXXV
 36. 
XXXVI
 37. 
XXXVII
 38. 
XXXVIII
 39. 
XXXIX
 40. 
XL
 41. 
XLI
 42. 
XLII
 43. 
XLIII
 44. 
XLIV
 45. 
XLV
 46. 
XLVI
 47. 
XLVII
 48. 
XLVIII
 49. 
XLIX
 50. 
L
 51. 
LI
 52. 
LII
 53. 
LIII
 54. 
LIV
 55. 
LV
 56. 
LVI
 57. 
LVII
 58. 
LVIII
 59. 
LIX
 60. 
LX
 61. 
LXI
 62. 
LXII
 63. 
LXIII
 64. 
LXIV
 65. 
LXV
 66. 
LXVI
 67. 
LXVII
 68. 
LXVIII
 69. 
LXIX
 70. 
LXX
 71. 
LXXI
 72. 
LXXII
 73. 
LXXIII
  
THE TALE OF THE TALL ALCALDE
  
THE ARIZONIAN
  
THE LAST TASCHASTAS
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BITS FROM INA, A DRAMA
  
[prologue]
 1. 
Scene I.
 2. 
Scene II.
 3. 
Scene III.
 4. 
Scene IV.
  
EVEN SO
  
MYRRH
  
BURNS
  
BYRON
  
KIT CARSON'S RIDE
  
OYE-AGUA: OREGON
  
SIERRA GRANDE DEL NORTE
  
EXODUS FOR OREGON
  
THE HEROES OF OREGON
  
WHERE ROLLS THE OREGON
  
PICTURE OF A BULL
  
VAQUERO
  
TO REST AT LAST
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DAWN AT SAN DIEGO
  
[prologue]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
collapse section3. 
Volume Three
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THE SEA OF FIRE
  
[prologue]
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
 3. 
III
 4. 
IV
 5. 
V
 6. 
VI
 7. 
VII
 8. 
VIII
 9. 
IX
 10. 
X
 11. 
XI
 12. 
XII
 13. 
XIII
 14. 
XIV
 15. 
XV
 16. 
XVI
 17. 
XVII
 18. 
XVIII
 19. 
XIX
 20. 
XX
 21. 
XXI
 22. 
XXII
 23. 
XXIII
 24. 
XXIV
 25. 
XXV
 26. 
XXVI
 27. 
XXVII
 28. 
XXVIII
 29. 
XXIX
 30. 
XXX
 31. 
XXXI
 32. 
XXXII
 33. 
XXXIII
 34. 
XXXIV
 35. 
XXXV
 36. 
XXXVI
 37. 
XXXVII
 38. 
XXXVIII
 39. 
XXXIX
 40. 
XL
 41. 
XLI
 42. 
XLII
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THE SHIP IN THE DESERT
  
[prologue]
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
 3. 
III
 4. 
IV
 5. 
V
 6. 
VI
 7. 
VII
 8. 
VIII
 9. 
IX
 10. 
X
 11. 
XI
 12. 
XII
 13. 
XIII
 14. 
XIV
 15. 
XV
 16. 
XVI
 17. 
XVII
 18. 
XVIII
 19. 
XIX
 20. 
XX
 21. 
XXI
 22. 
XXII
 23. 
XXIII
 24. 
XXIV
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ISLES OF THE AMAZONS
 1. 
Part I
 2. 
PART II.
 3. 
PART III
 4. 
PART IV
 5. 
PART V
  
AN INDIAN SUMMER
  
FROM SEA TO SEA
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A SONG OF THE SOUTH
 1. 
Part I
collapse section2. 
PART II.
  
[prologue]
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
 3. 
III
 4. 
IV
 5. 
V
 6. 
VI
 7. 
VII
 8. 
VIII
 9. 
IX
 10. 
X
 11. 
XI
 12. 
XII
 13. 
XIII
 14. 
XIV
 15. 
XV
  
RESURGO SAN FRANCISCO
collapse section4. 
Volume Four
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SONGS OF ITALY AND OTHERS
  
THE IDEAL AND THE REAL
  
A DOVE OF ST. MARK
  
COMO
  
SUNRISE IN VENICE
  
VALE! AMERICA
  
ROME
  
“POVERIS! POVERIS!”
  
ATTILA'S THRONE, TORCELLO
  
VENICE
  
A HAILSTORM IN VENICE
  
SANTA MARIA: TORCELLO
  
IN A GONDOLA
  
THE CAPUCIN OF ROME
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SONGS OF THE HEBREW CHILDREN
  
[“In the desert a fountain is springing]
  
AT BETHLEHEM
  
“LA NOTTE”
  
IN PALESTINE
  
BEYOND JORDAN
  
FAITH
  
HOPE
  
CHARITY
  
A SONG FOR PEACE
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THE ULTIMATE WEST
  
[My Mountains still are free!]
  
THE GOLD THAT GREW BY SHASTA TOWN
  
THE SIOUX CHIEF'S DAUGHTER
  
A SHASTA TALE OF LOVE
  
LOVE IN THE SIERRAS
  
OLD GIB AT CASTLE ROCKS
  
THE LARGER COLLEGE
  
TO THE PIONEERS
  
“49”
  
SAN DIEGO
  
PIONEERS TO THE GREAT EMERALD LAND
  
ALASKA
  
TWILIGHT AT THE HIGHTS
  
ARBOR DAY
  
BY THE BALBOA SEAS
  
MAGNOLIA BLOSSOMS
  
CALIFORNIA'S CHRISTMAS
  
THE MEN OF FORTY-NINE
  
THE HEROES OF AMERICA
  
YOSEMITE
  
DEAD IN THE SIERRAS
  
“THE FOURTH” IN OREGON
  
AN ANSWER
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LOG CABIN LINES
  
THE SOLDIERS' HOME, WASHINGTON
  
OLIVE
  
THE BATTLE FLAG AT SHENANDOAH
  
THE LOST REGIMENT
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MISCELLANEOUS LINES
  
THE WORLD IS A BETTER WORLD
  
TO SAVE A SOUL
  
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI AT NIGHT
  
A NUBIAN FACE ON THE NILE
  
MONTARA
  
A CHRISTMAS EVE IN CUBA
  
COMANCHE
  
OUR HEROES OF TODAY
  
BY THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI
  
HER PICTURE
  
DEAD IN THE LONG, STRONG GRASS
  
GARFIELD
  
HE LOVES AND RIDES AWAY
  
AFTER THE BATTLE
  
THOSE PERILOUS SPANISH EYES
  
NEWPORT NEWS
  
THE COMING OF SPRING
  
CHRISTMAS BY THE GREAT RIVER
  
THOMAS OF TIGRE
  
THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS
  
THE POET
  
LINCOLN PARK
  
THE RIVER OF REST
  
THE NEW PRESIDENT
  
MONTGOMERY AT QUEBEC
  
AFRICA
  
SUMMER MOONS AT MOUNT VERNON
  
THE POEM BY THE POTOMAC
  
A DEAD CARPENTER
  
QUESTION?
  
BOSTON TO THE BOERS
  
ST. PAUL'S
  
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
  
AT LORD BYRON'S TOMB
  
ENGLAND
  
RIEL, THE REBEL
  
THE DEFENSE OF THE ALAMO
  
TOMORROW
  
FINALE
  
TO JUANITA
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SEMI-HUMOROUS SONGS
  
IN CLASSIC SHADES
  
THAT GENTLE MAN FROM BOSTON
  
WILLIAM BROWN OF OREGON
  
HORACE GREELEY'S DRIVE
  
THAT FAITHFUL WIFE OF IDAHO
  
SARATOGA AND THE PSALMIST
  
A TURKEY HUNT IN TEXAS
  
USLAND
  
THAT USSIAN OF USLAND
  
SAYS PLATO
  
WELCOME TO THE GREAT AMERICAN OCEAN
  
TWO WISE OLD MEN OF OMAR'S LAND
collapse section5. 
Volume Five
collapse section 
A SONG OF CREATION
  
[prologue]
collapse section 
BOOK FIRST
 1. 
CANTO I
 2. 
CANTO II
 3. 
CANTO III
collapse section4. 
CANTO IV
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
 3. 
III
 4. 
IV
 5. 
V
 6. 
VI
 7. 
VII
 8. 
VIII
 9. 
IX
 10. 
X
 11. 
XI
 12. 
XII
 13. 
XIII
 14. 
XIV
 15. 
XV
 16. 
XVI
 17. 
XVII
 18. 
XVIII
 19. 
XIX
 20. 
XX
 21. 
XXI
 22. 
XXII
 23. 
XXIII
 24. 
XXIV
 25. 
XXV
 26. 
XXVI
 27. 
XXVII
 28. 
XXVIII
 29. 
XXIX
 30. 
XXX
 31. 
XXXI
 32. 
XXXII
 33. 
XXXIII
 34. 
XXXIV
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BOOK SECOND
 1. 
CANTO I
 2. 
CANTO II
 3. 
CANTO III
collapse section3. 
BOOK THIRD
 1. 
CANTO I
 2. 
CANTO II
 3. 
CANTO III
 4. 
CANTO IV
 5. 
CANTO V
collapse section4. 
BOOK FOUR
 1. 
CANTO I
 2. 
CANTO II
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WITH LOVE TO YOU AND YOURS
  
[prologue]
collapse section1. 
PART FIRST
 1. 
I
 2. 
II
 3. 
III
 4. 
IV
 5. 
V
 6. 
VI
 7. 
VII
 2. 
PART SECOND
 3. 
PART THIRD
 4. 
PART FOURTH
  
ADIOS
  
HINTS FROM THE HIGHTS

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THE LITTLE BROWN MAN

Where now the brownie fisher-lad?
His hundred thousand fishing-boats
Rock idly in the reedy moats;
His baby wife no more is glad.
But yesterday, with all Nippon,
Beneath his pink-white cherry-trees,
In chorus with his brown, sweet bees,
He careless sang, and sang right on.
233

Take care! for he has ceased to sing;
His startled bees have taken wing!
His cherry-blossoms drop like blood;
His bees begin to storm and sting;
His seas flash lightning, and a flood
Of crimson stains their wide, white ring;
His battle-ships belch hell, and all
Nippon is but one Spartan wall!
Aye, he, the boy of yesterday,
Now holds the bearded Russ at bay;
While, blossom'd steeps above, the clouds
Wait idly, still, as waiting shrouds.
But oh, beware his scorn of death,
His love of Emperor, of isles
That boast a thousand bastioned miles
Above the clouds where never breath
Of frost or foe has ventured yet,
Or foot of foreign man has set!
Beware his scorn of food (his fare
Is scarcely more than sweet sea-air);
Beware his cunning, sprite-like skill—
But most beware his dauntless will.
Goliath, David, once again,
The giant and the shepherd youth—
The tallest, smallest of all men,
The trained in tongue, the trained in truth.
Beware this boy, this new mad man!
That erst mad man of Macedon,
Who drank and died at Babylon;
That shepherd lad; the Corsican—
They sat the thrones of earth! Beware
This new mad man whose drink is air!
234

His bees are not more slow to strife,
But, stirred, they court a common death!
He knows the decencies of life—
Of all men underneath the sun
He is the one clean man, the one
Who never knew a drunken breath!
Beware this sober, wee brown man,
Who yesterday stood but a span
Beneath his blossomed cherry-trees,
Soft singing with his brother bees!
The brownie's sword is as a snake,
A sudden, sinuous copperhead:
It makes no flourish, no mistake;
It darts but once—the man is dead!
'Tis short and black; 'tis never seen
Save when, close forth, it leaps its sheath
And, snake-like, darts up from beneath.
But oh, its double edge is keen!
It strikes but once, then on, right on:
The sword is gone—the Russ is gone!
—From the Century.

The Japanese, or more properly the Nipponese, are the only entirely temperate people I ever knew, and travel has been my trade since a lad. True, there are English, American, French, German hotels at Nagasaki, Kobe, Tokio, and like large cities, where the tourist can have “all the comforts of a home” and disport himself much as at Newport or Saratoga. And here the little brown man often brings his venerable parent and others of his house to dine, observe foreigners, and listen to the music; but they all eat sparingly and drink not at all, in the sense that the white man drinks. His wildest dissipation is cold tea.
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