 | The national jubilee, and other miscellaneous poems |  |
THE SAME, FOR 1827.
Strike—strike the lyre! with rapture, strike!
Till transport bears the soul on high—
Let anthems through the concave break—
Let earth be fill'd with melody!
Till transport bears the soul on high—
Let anthems through the concave break—
Let earth be fill'd with melody!
Through the vast fields of ether driven,
The earth has finish'd her career,
And true to time, as lovers given,
With a new song, begins the YEAR.
The earth has finish'd her career,
And true to time, as lovers given,
With a new song, begins the YEAR.
And while upon her breast, we've rode,
Through light and shade, from star to star;
Few scenes have pass'd to thrill the blood
Of grief, or joy—of peace, or war.
Through light and shade, from star to star;
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Of grief, or joy—of peace, or war.
But Misselonghi!—O thy name
Sounds like the tomb where martyrs sleep—
A tomb—from whence shall burst a flame
To cause each patriot's sword to leap,
Sounds like the tomb where martyrs sleep—
A tomb—from whence shall burst a flame
To cause each patriot's sword to leap,
And smite oppression!—Proudly raise
The stars upon the sulphurious breeze—
And, guided by th' effulgent blaze,
The glorious boon of Freedom, seize!
The stars upon the sulphurious breeze—
And, guided by th' effulgent blaze,
The glorious boon of Freedom, seize!
Greece! Greece!—for thee how burns the blood:
Our every vein seems charg'd with fire!
May lightnings, from the throne of God,
Glance—and the impious Turk expire!
Our every vein seems charg'd with fire!
May lightnings, from the throne of God,
Glance—and the impious Turk expire!
Raise, raise the Cross!—our Eagle, lo,
Shall there, her lofty ærie build,
And with her arrows, search the foe,
And scath the Crescent from the field!
Shall there, her lofty ærie build,
And with her arrows, search the foe,
And scath the Crescent from the field!
Of Greece, no more—our Country calls,
And we her summons must obey—
Soft is her voice as dew that falls
On early rose-bud born in May.
And we her summons must obey—
Soft is her voice as dew that falls
On early rose-bud born in May.
While Albion pines with famine sore,
And Erin weeps in slavery's chain;
Plenty hath crown'd Columbia's shore,
And health has danc'd through every vein.
And Erin weeps in slavery's chain;
Plenty hath crown'd Columbia's shore,
And health has danc'd through every vein.
Fain would our hearts with gladness swell
With anthem songs, for bounties given,
While the deep organ's solemn peal
Should raise the chorus notes to heaven!
With anthem songs, for bounties given,
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Should raise the chorus notes to heaven!
Shall smiles upon the brow appear,
Or sorrows fall like rain-drops, free,
That JEFFERSON forsook the sphere
And ADAMS—on the Jubilee?
Or sorrows fall like rain-drops, free,
That JEFFERSON forsook the sphere
And ADAMS—on the Jubilee?
We'll shed such tears as seraphs shed—
We'll smile like them entranc'd with bliss;
For though their dust in earth is laid,
Their spirits bask in righteousness!
We'll smile like them entranc'd with bliss;
For though their dust in earth is laid,
Their spirits bask in righteousness!
Immortal Sages—fare ye well!
The tongues of millions speak of thee!
Your names, our hearts, with reverence fill,
Born to achieve our Liberty!
The tongues of millions speak of thee!
Your names, our hearts, with reverence fill,
Born to achieve our Liberty!
SHELBY, to dwell on earth, disdain'd,
When, that ye bade the world adieu—
Sunder'd the bands, his soul enchain'd,
And enter'd heaven sublime with you!
When, that ye bade the world adieu—
Sunder'd the bands, his soul enchain'd,
And enter'd heaven sublime with you!
Kentucky, forth at Shelby's name,
Rushes like gladness on the soul,
Whose character a star of flame,
Shines like the gem that gilds the pole.
Rushes like gladness on the soul,
Whose character a star of flame,
Shines like the gem that gilds the pole.
| The national jubilee, and other miscellaneous poems | |