 | Poems |  |
113
COLUMBIA; A SAPPHIC ODE.
Eagle of the West! from thine eyrie thou
Didst stoop, and wrest from grandeur's diadem
The choicest gem, that glittered there in pride
Invaluable.
Didst stoop, and wrest from grandeur's diadem
The choicest gem, that glittered there in pride
Invaluable.
And Freedom's banner, hung upon thy wing,
Was bathed in the fountain of the despot's heart,
And waved in light triumphal o'er a land
Invincible.
Was bathed in the fountain of the despot's heart,
And waved in light triumphal o'er a land
Invincible.
O'er bigot rage, and feudal tyranny,
Jewelled regalia, and baronial pomp,
The car of freeborn energies was driven
By the unshackled soul.
Jewelled regalia, and baronial pomp,
The car of freeborn energies was driven
By the unshackled soul.
Star of the bright West! thy celestial beams
Oppression blew upon the crest of glory,
And spangled o'er the waving gonfalon
With the rays of heaven.
Oppression blew upon the crest of glory,
And spangled o'er the waving gonfalon
With the rays of heaven.
The green-wood arbour, the pellucid stream,
The rural meadow, wood-crowned prairie's plain,
The sea majestic, and the city's scene,
Thy effulgence gilds.
The rural meadow, wood-crowned prairie's plain,
The sea majestic, and the city's scene,
Thy effulgence gilds.
Thy sheeny halo fires the eagle's crest,
When her undazzled eye is on the fight,
Or when her wings are spread above the hall
Of legislation.
When her undazzled eye is on the fight,
Or when her wings are spread above the hall
Of legislation.
114
The dreadless lion walks amid thy blaze,
Eyes his winged compeer in her heavenward flight,
Spares the wild victim, bounds upon his prey,
And glories in the war.
Eyes his winged compeer in her heavenward flight,
Spares the wild victim, bounds upon his prey,
And glories in the war.
Yet thy irradiation brightest burns
Upon the foaming billow of the ocean,—
The picaroon in his felucca flies
Afar in terror.
Upon the foaming billow of the ocean,—
The picaroon in his felucca flies
Afar in terror.
The red flag, crescent, glowing tricolor,
Bow to the eagle on her ocean wing,
And spirits greet the glories of the realm
Rising transcendant.
Bow to the eagle on her ocean wing,
And spirits greet the glories of the realm
Rising transcendant.
Eagle of the West! Star of Glory dawning!
With pencil dipped in Iris hues, and song
Echoed from heaven, we'll twine the fleur-de-lis
Round victory's brow.
With pencil dipped in Iris hues, and song
Echoed from heaven, we'll twine the fleur-de-lis
Round victory's brow.
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