 | Poems by John Howard Bryant |  |
161
WELCOME TO THE RETURN SOLDIERS, 1865.
Hail day of Liberty and joy!
We bring no vain oblation;
This people stands erect to-day
Earth's mightiest, freest nation.
We bring no vain oblation;
This people stands erect to-day
Earth's mightiest, freest nation.
From many a stormy battle field,
Renowned in coming story,
Our soldiers bring their harvest sheaves,
Of freedom, peace and glory.
Renowned in coming story,
Our soldiers bring their harvest sheaves,
Of freedom, peace and glory.
Ho! brothers from the field of strife,
Bronzed by the southern summers;
We welcome you with heart and hand,
From shoulder straps to Bummers.
Bronzed by the southern summers;
We welcome you with heart and hand,
From shoulder straps to Bummers.
No truer, braver souls than yours,
Ere heard the muskets rattle,
Or met unblanched the rebel foe
Upon the field of battle.
Ere heard the muskets rattle,
Or met unblanched the rebel foe
Upon the field of battle.
To you we owe these quiet homes,
So peaceful and so pleasant;
Protection in the years of war,
The grand victorious present.
So peaceful and so pleasant;
Protection in the years of war,
The grand victorious present.
162
You broke the bondman's tripple chain
That stained our country's honor,
And swept away that cause for taunts
Which despots heaped upon her,
That stained our country's honor,
And swept away that cause for taunts
Which despots heaped upon her,
You bore aloft our starry flag
In marches long and weary,
Through pathless morass, swollen stream,
And forests vast and dreary.
In marches long and weary,
Through pathless morass, swollen stream,
And forests vast and dreary.
You undermined the corner stone
Of treason's dark dominion,
And laid on truth's eternal rock,
Free speech and free opinion.
Of treason's dark dominion,
And laid on truth's eternal rock,
Free speech and free opinion.
The southern bloods that talked so large
And scorned the coward Yankee,
Have turned their backs in great disgust,
Saying, “Got enough, I thank ye.”
And scorned the coward Yankee,
Have turned their backs in great disgust,
Saying, “Got enough, I thank ye.”
Free speech and free opinion reign
From Maine to Rio Grande;
Even negroes now may sing John Brown
And Yankee doodle dandy.
From Maine to Rio Grande;
Even negroes now may sing John Brown
And Yankee doodle dandy.
O, many hearts as brave as yours,
Upon the field of danger,
Have ceased to beat—their manly forms
Lie buried with the stranger.
Upon the field of danger,
Have ceased to beat—their manly forms
Lie buried with the stranger.
163
And thus our cup of joy to-day
Is mixed with tears of sorrow,
For those whose rest no drum-beat breaks,
Whose slumber knows no morrow.
Is mixed with tears of sorrow,
For those whose rest no drum-beat breaks,
Whose slumber knows no morrow.
Their memory shall be kept with yours,
And down the circling ages
Shall pass on history's golden page,
With heroes, bards and sages.
And down the circling ages
Shall pass on history's golden page,
With heroes, bards and sages.
Thrice welcome then, ye heroes; all
Honor to dead and living.
We serve our grateful feast to-day
With hearts of deep thanksgiving.
Honor to dead and living.
We serve our grateful feast to-day
With hearts of deep thanksgiving.
Union and Liberty are ours,
The fruit of your endeavor,
God help us keep the heritage
Forever and forever.
The fruit of your endeavor,
God help us keep the heritage
Forever and forever.
| Poems by John Howard Bryant | |