Poems, on sacred and other subjects and songs, humorous and sentimental: By the late William Watt. Third edition of the songs only--with additional songs |
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Emigration.
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 | Poems, on sacred and other subjects |  |
273
Emigration.
Hail, Liberty! thou nymph divine,
Whose rays in every breast do shine,
And gild the realms of hope:
Glad as Aurora's smile thy look,
Which ne'er the human mind forsook,
Though it in gloom did grope:
Thou shoot, from soundest reason sprung,
Be thou my theme the while;
Though I thy fame but rude have sung,
I yet may catch thy smile.
My lone harp, of tone sharp,
May touch the feeling soul,
While wandering, and pondering
On tyrant power's control.
Whose rays in every breast do shine,
And gild the realms of hope:
Glad as Aurora's smile thy look,
Which ne'er the human mind forsook,
Though it in gloom did grope:
Thou shoot, from soundest reason sprung,
Be thou my theme the while;
Though I thy fame but rude have sung,
I yet may catch thy smile.
My lone harp, of tone sharp,
May touch the feeling soul,
While wandering, and pondering
On tyrant power's control.
Sweet maid, I see thee wandering wide,
From clear Euphrates' flowery side,
With Israel's faithful sire;
O'er distant Canaan's arid plains,
Scarce visited by roving swains,
Whose breasts thy features fire.
Or let me trace thy hallow'd feet
Through bless'd Arabia's clime,
Where bondage ne'er, with motion fleet,
Waved round her coasts sublime.
Whence sighing and crying
From anguish never flow,
Where slavery and knavery
Meet law's terrific blow.
From clear Euphrates' flowery side,
With Israel's faithful sire;
O'er distant Canaan's arid plains,
Scarce visited by roving swains,
Whose breasts thy features fire.
Or let me trace thy hallow'd feet
Through bless'd Arabia's clime,
Where bondage ne'er, with motion fleet,
Waved round her coasts sublime.
Whence sighing and crying
From anguish never flow,
Where slavery and knavery
Meet law's terrific blow.
For ever happy was the day
When brave Columbus sped his way
Across the wide Atlantic's roar,
Where Europe's sons ne'er went before.
Much was his peril, much his toil;
And after all his great turmoil,
He spied at last the land veer nigh,
Where Freedom's flag did fan the sky.
How did his manly bosom swell
To find the realm where peace might dwell!
His feelings language can't express,
So far they soared past common bless.
But joy's mild sky is oft o'ercast
By woe's opaque tempestuous blast,
And blithe prosperity's clear noon
Is dimm'd by adverse fortune soon;
Their case was this, who held that land,
From time unknown, by Heaven's command.
When brave Columbus sped his way
Across the wide Atlantic's roar,
Where Europe's sons ne'er went before.
Much was his peril, much his toil;
And after all his great turmoil,
He spied at last the land veer nigh,
Where Freedom's flag did fan the sky.
How did his manly bosom swell
To find the realm where peace might dwell!
274
So far they soared past common bless.
But joy's mild sky is oft o'ercast
By woe's opaque tempestuous blast,
And blithe prosperity's clear noon
Is dimm'd by adverse fortune soon;
Their case was this, who held that land,
From time unknown, by Heaven's command.
When volleying Etna, thundering, showers
Her sulph'rous lava round,
Sicilians, summon all your powers,
And fly her roar profound.
Her sulph'rous lava round,
Sicilians, summon all your powers,
And fly her roar profound.
When ocean heaves her surge to heaven,
And wrecking vessels reel,
Sailors, let every aid be given
To brave the awful peal.
And wrecking vessels reel,
Sailors, let every aid be given
To brave the awful peal.
Britons, if lawless usurpation
Have robb'd the rights of man,
Leave, quickly leave, your ruined nation,
And other regions scan.
Have robb'd the rights of man,
Leave, quickly leave, your ruined nation,
And other regions scan.
Britain, alas! to Britons dear,
Must lose her free-born sons;
These leave the land they much revere;
Each, base oppression shuns.
Must lose her free-born sons;
These leave the land they much revere;
Each, base oppression shuns.
Grieved have I seen their parting look
Cast on their native shore,
Nor, tearless, could the prospect brook
By philosophic lore.
Cast on their native shore,
Nor, tearless, could the prospect brook
By philosophic lore.
They climb the mast to take the last
Farewell of Scotia's isle,
Till down it pass'd, with motion fast,
Beneath green ocean's smile.
Farewell of Scotia's isle,
Till down it pass'd, with motion fast,
Beneath green ocean's smile.
Whoe'er yet left his native land,
Obeying fate's control,
But, throbbing, viewed the fleeting strand
Back from his vision roll?
Obeying fate's control,
But, throbbing, viewed the fleeting strand
Back from his vision roll?
275
Yet hope, aroused from black despair,
On future pleasure broods,
And in Columbia's healthful air
Seeks shelter in her woods.
On future pleasure broods,
And in Columbia's healthful air
Seeks shelter in her woods.
“O fate, me place,” the stranger cries,
“Beside Ontario's Lake,
Where Niagara's thunders rise,
And Scotia I'll forsake.
“Beside Ontario's Lake,
Where Niagara's thunders rise,
And Scotia I'll forsake.
“Like Noah, on Ararat's height,
Saved from the wreck of old,
I'd bless the guardian of my fate,
When freedom I behold:
Saved from the wreck of old,
I'd bless the guardian of my fate,
When freedom I behold:
“Where I may sing of streams unsung,
Where poesy ne'er trod,
Where ne'er the Muse's harp had rung,
Where slavery ne'er abode:
Where poesy ne'er trod,
Where ne'er the Muse's harp had rung,
Where slavery ne'er abode:
“Where Labour still bestows her hire,
Where want appals no more,
And where no orphan, dame, nor Sire,
Needs beg from door to door.”
Where want appals no more,
And where no orphan, dame, nor Sire,
Needs beg from door to door.”
Such thoughts as these pass through his mind,
Thoughts truly worthy man;
He leaves the realms of woe behind
And draws his future plan.
Thoughts truly worthy man;
He leaves the realms of woe behind
And draws his future plan.
He chides his fear, that long deterr'd
His oft form'd resolution,
And blushes he'd so long preferr'd
Our sapped Constitution:
His oft form'd resolution,
And blushes he'd so long preferr'd
Our sapped Constitution:
No more to Europe's thrall a sport,
For thousands sail from every port,
And gaily o'er the ocean glide,
Triumphant, from want's ebbing tide,
While shouting, as they leave the shore,
“To thee we shall return no more.”
Hail, Liberty! thy sons protect,
Their floating vehicles direct,
And bear them to their destined port,
America, that bless'd resort!
For thousands sail from every port,
And gaily o'er the ocean glide,
Triumphant, from want's ebbing tide,
While shouting, as they leave the shore,
“To thee we shall return no more.”
Hail, Liberty! thy sons protect,
Their floating vehicles direct,
And bear them to their destined port,
America, that bless'd resort!
| Poems, on sacred and other subjects | |