The Columbiad: A Poem Part 11

Can Europe's realms, the seat of endless strife, Afford no trophies for the waste of life?

Can monarchs there no proud applauses gain, No living laurel for their people slain?

Nor Belgia's plains, so fertile made with gore, Hide heroes' bones nor feast the vultures more?

Will Rhine no longer cleanse the crimson stain, Nor Danube bear their bodies to the main, That infant empires here the shock must feel, And these pure streams with foreign carnage swell?

But who that chief? his name, his nation say, Whose lifeblood seems his follies to repay; And who the youth, that from the combat lost Springs up and saves the remnant of his host?

The Power replied: Each age successive brings Their varying views to earth's contentious kings; Here roll the years when Albion's parent hand, In aid of thy brave children, guards the land; That growing states their veteran force may train, A n.o.bler prize in later fields to gain; In fields where Albion's self shall turn their foe, Spread broader sails and aim a deadlier blow, Recross, in evil hour, the astonish'd wave, Her own brave sons to ravage and enslave.

But here she combats with the powers of Gaul: Here her bold Braddock finds his destined fall; Thy Was.h.i.+ngton, in that young martial frame, From yon lost field begins a life of fame.

Tis he, in future straits, with loftier stride, The colon states to sovereign rule shall guide; When, prest by wrongs, their own full force they find, To wield the sword for man, and bulwark humankind.

The Seraph spoke; when thro the purpled air The northern armies spread the flames of war.

Swift o'er the lake, to Crownpoint's fortful strand, Rash Abercrombie leads his headlong band To fierce unequal fight; the batteries roar, s.h.i.+eld the strong foes and rake the banner'd sh.o.r.e; Britannia's sons again the contest yield, Again proud Gaul triumphant sweeps the field.

But Amherst quick renews the raging toil, And drives wide hosting o'er Acadia's isle; Young Wolfe beside him points the lifted lance, The boast of Britain and the scourge of France.

The tide of victory here the heroes turn, And Gallic navies in their harbors burn; High flame the s.h.i.+ps, the billows swell with gore, And the red standard shades the conquer'd sh.o.r.e.

Wolfe, now detacht and bent on bolder deeds, A sail-borne host up sealike Laurence leads, Stems the long lessening tide; till Abraham's height And famed Quebec rise frowning into sight.

Swift bounding on the bank, the foe they claim.

Climb the tall mountain like a rolling flame, Push wide their wings, high bannering bright the air, And move to fight as comets cope in war.

The smoke falls folding thro the downward sky.

And shrouds the mountain from the Patriarch's eye, While on the towering top, in glare of day, The flas.h.i.+ng swords in fiery arches play.

As on a side-seen storm, adistance driven, The flames fork round the semivault of heaven, Thick thunders roll, descending torrents flow, Dash down the clouds and whelm the hills below; Or as on plains of light when Michael strove, The swords of cherubim to combat move, Ten thousand fiery forms together fray, And flash new lightning on empyreal day.

Long raged promiscuous combat, half conceal'd, When sudden parle suspended all the field; Then roar the shouts, the smoke forsakes the plain And the huge hill is topt with heaps of slain.

Stretch'd high in air Britannia's standard waved, And good Columbus hail'd his country saved; While calm and silent, where the ranks retire, He saw brave Wolfe in victory's arms expire.

So the pale moon, when morning beams arise, Veils her lone visage in her midway skies; She needs no longer drive the shades away, Nor waits to view the glories of the day.

Again the towns aspire; the cultured field And crowded mart their copious treasures yield; Back to his plough the colon soldier moves, And songs of triumph fill the warbling groves, The conscious flocks, returning joys that share, Spread thro the gra.s.sland o'er the walks of war, Streams, freed of gore, their crystal course regain, Serener sunbeams gild the tentless plain; A general jubilee, o'er earth and heaven, Leads the gay morn and lights the lambent even.

Rejoicing, confident of long repose, (Their friends triumphant, far retired their foes,) The British colonies now feel their sway Span the whole north and crowd the western day.

Acadia, Canada, earth's total side, From Slave's long lake to Pensacola's tide, Expand their soils for them; and here unfold A range of highest hope, a promised age of gold.

But soon from eastern seas dark vapors rise, Sweep the vast Occident and shroud the skies, s.n.a.t.c.h all the vision from the Hero's sight, And wrap the coast in sudden shades of night.

He turn'd, and sorrowful besought the Power: Why sinks the scene, or must I view no more?

Must here the fame of that young world descend?

Shall our brave children find so quick their end?

Where then the promised grace? "Thou soon shalt see That half mankind shall owe their seats to thee."

The Saint replied: Ere long, beneath thy view The scene shall brighten and thy joys renew.

Here march the troublous years, when goaded sore Thy sons shall rise to change the ruling power; When Albion's prince, who sways the happy land, To lawless rule extends his tyrant hand, To bind in slavery's bands the peaceful host, Their rights unguarded and their charters lost.

Now raise thine eye; from this delusive plain; What nations leap to life, what deeds adorn their fame!

Columbus look'd; and still around them spread, From south to north, the immeasurable shade; At last the central darkness burst away, And rising regions opened on the day.

Once more bright Delaware's commercial stream And Penn's throng'd city cast a cheerful gleam; The dome of state, as conscious of his eye, Now seem'd to silver in a loftier sky, Unfolding fair its gates; when lo, within The a.s.sembled states in solemn Congress s.h.i.+ne.

The sires elect from every province came, Where wide Columbia bore the British name, Where Freedom's sons their highborn lineage trace, And homebred bravery still exalts the race: Her sons who plant each various vast domain That Chesapeak's uncounted currents drain; The race who Roanoke's clear stream bestride, Who fell the pine on Apalachia's side, To Albemarle's wide wave who trust their store, Who dike proud Pamlico's unstable sh.o.r.e.

Whose groaning barks o'erload the long Santee, Wind thro the realms and labor to the sea, (Their c.u.mbrous cargoes, to the sail consign'd, Seek distant worlds, and feed and clothe mankind;) The race whose rice-fields suck Savanna's urn, Whose verdant vines Oconee's bank adorn; Who freight the Delaware with golden grain, Who tame their steeds on Monmouth's flowery plain, From huge Toconnok hills who drag their ore, And sledge their corn to Hudson's quay-built sh.o.r.e.

Who keel Connecticut's long meadowy tide, With patient plough his fallow plains divide, Spread their white flocks o'er Narraganset's vale, Or chase to each chill pole the monstrous whale; Whose venturous prows have borne their fame afar, Tamed all the seas and steer'd by every star, Dispensed to earth's whole habitants their store, And with their biting flukes have harrow'd every sh.o.r.e.

The virtuous delegates behold with pain The hostile Britons hovering o'er the main, Lament the strife that bids two worlds engage, And blot their annals with fraternal rage; Two worlds in one broad state! whose bounds bestride, Like heaven's blue arch, the vast Atlantic tide, By language, laws and liberty combined, Great nurse of thought, example to mankind.

Columbia rears her warning voice in vain, Brothers to brothers call across the main; Britannia's patriots lend a listening ear, But kings and courtiers push their mad career; Dissension raves, the sheathless falchions glare, And earth and ocean tremble at the war.

Thus with stern brow, as worn by cares of state, His bosom big with dark unfolding fate, High o'er his lance the sacred Eagle spread, And earth's whole crown still resting on his head, Rome's h.o.a.ry Genius rose, and mournful stood On roaring Rubicon's forbidden flood, When Cesar's ensigns swept the Alpine air, Led their long legions from the Gallic war, Paused on the opposing bank with wings unfurl'd, And waved portentous o'er the shuddering world.

The G.o.d, with outstretch'd arm and awful look, Call'd the proud victor and prophetic spoke: Arrest, my son, thy parricidious hate, Pa.s.s not the stream nor stab my filial state, Stab not thyself, thy friends, thy total kind, And worlds and ages in one state combined.

The chief, regardless of the warning G.o.d, Rein'd his rude steed and headlong past the flood, Cried, Farewel, Peace! took Fortune for his guide, And o'er his country pour'd the slaughtering tide.

High on the foremost seat, in living light, Resplendent Randolph caught the world's full sight.

He opes the cause, and points in prospect far Thro all the toils that wait impending war: But, reverend sage! thy race must soon be o'er, To lend thy l.u.s.tre and to s.h.i.+ne no more.

So the mild morning star, from shades of even, Leads up the dawn and lights the front of heaven, Points to the waking world the sun's broad way, Then veils his own, and vaults above the day.

And see bright Was.h.i.+ngton behind thee rise, Thy following sun, to gild our morning skies, O'er shadowy climes to pour enlivening flame, The charms of freedom and the fire of fame.

For him the patriot bay beheld with pride The hero's laurel springing by its side; His sword still sleeping rested on his thigh, On Britain still he cast a filial eye; But sovereign fort.i.tude his visage bore, To meet her legions on the invaded sh.o.r.e.

Sage Franklin next arose with cheerful mien, And smiled unruffled o'er the solemn scene; His locks of age a various wreath embraced, Palm of all arts that e'er a mortal graced; Beneath him lay the sceptre kings had borne, And the tame thunder from the tempest torn.

Wythe, Mason, Pendleton with Henry join'd, Rush, Rodney, Langdon, friends of humankind, Persuasive d.i.c.kinson, the former's boast, Recording Thomson, pride of all the host, Nash, Jay, the Livingstons, in council great, Rutledge and Laurens held the rolls of fate, O'er wide creation turn'd their ardent eyes, And bade the opprest to selfexistence rise; All powers of state, in their extended plan, Spring from consent, to s.h.i.+eld the rights of man.

Undaunted Wolcott urged the holy cause, With steady hand the solemn scene he draws; Stern thoughtful temperance with his ardorjoin'd, Nor kings nor worlds could warp his steadfast mind.

With graceful ease but energetic tones; And eloquence that shook a thousand thrones, Majestic Hosmer stood; the expanding soul Darts from his eyebeams while his accents roll.

But lo! the shaft of death untimely flew, And fell'd the patriot from the Hero's view; Wrapt in the funeral shroud he sees descend The guide of nations and the Muse's friend.

Columbus dropt a tear; while Hesper's eye Traced the freed spirit mounting thro the sky.

Each generous Adams, freedom's favorite pair, And Hanc.o.c.k rose the tyrant's rage to dare, Groupt with firm Jefferson, her steadiest hope, Of modest mien but vast unclouded scope.

Like four strong pillars of her state they stand, They clear from doubt her brave but wavering band; Colonial charters in their hands they bore, And lawless acts of ministerial power.

Some injured right in every page appears, A king in terrors and a land in tears; From all his guileful plots the veil they drew, With eye retortive look'd creation thro, Traced moral nature thro her total plan, Markt all the steps of liberty and man; Crowds rose to reason while their accents rung.

And INDEPENDENCE thunder'd from their tongue.

Columbus turn'd; when rolling to the sh.o.r.e Swells o'er the seas an undulating roar; Slow, dark, portentous, as the meteors sweep.

And curtain black the illimitable deep, High stalks, from surge to surge, a demon Form, That howls thro heaven and breathes a billowing storm.

His head is hung with clouds; his giant hand Flings a blue flame far flickering to the land; His blood-stain'd limbs drip carnage as he strides, And taint with gory grume the staggering tides; Like two red suns his quivering eyeb.a.l.l.s glare, His mouth disgorges all the stores of war, Pikes, muskets, mortars, guns and globes of fire.

And lighted bombs that fusing trails exspire.

Percht on his helmet, two twin sisters rode, The favorite offspring of the murderous G.o.d, Famine and Pestilence; whom whilom bore His wife, grim Discord, on Trinacria's sh.o.r.e; When first their Cyclop sons, from Etna's forge, Fill'd his foul magazine, his gaping gorge: Then earth convulsive groan'd, high shriek'd the air.

And h.e.l.l in gratulation call'd him War.

Behind the fiend, swift hovering for the coast, Hangs o'er the wave Britannia's sail-wing'd host; They crowd the main, they spread their sheets abroad, From the wide Laurence to the Georgian flood, Point their black batteries to the peopled sh.o.r.e, And spouting flames commence the hideous roar.

Where fortless Falmouth, looking o'er her bay, In terror saw the approaching thunders play, The fire begins; the sh.e.l.ls o'er arching fly, And shoot a thousand rainbows thro the sky; On Charlestown spires, on Bedford roofs they light, Groton and Fairfield kindle from the flight, Norwalk expands the blaze; o'er Reading hills High flaming Danbury the welkin fills; Esopus burns, Newyork's delightful fanes And sea-nursed Norfolk light the neighboring plains.

From realm to realm the smoky volumes bend, Reach round the bays and up the streams extend; Deep o'er the concave heavy wreaths are roll'd, And midland towns and distant groves infold.

Thro solid curls of smoke, the bursting fires Climb in tall pyramids above the spires, Concentring all the winds; whose forces, driven With equal rage from every point of heaven, Whirl into conflict, round the scantling pour The twisting flames and thro the rafters roar, Suck up the cinders, send them sailing far, To warn the nations of the raging war, Bend high the blazing vortex, swell'd and curl'd, Careering, brightening o'er the l.u.s.tred world, Absorb the reddening clouds that round them run, Lick the pale stars, and mock their absent sun: Seas catch the splendor, kindling skies resound, And falling structures shake the smouldering ground.

Crowds of wild fugitives, with frantic tread, Flit thro the flames that pierce the midnight shade, Back on the burning domes revert their eyes, Where some lost friend, some perisht infant lies.

Their maim'd, their sick, their age-enfeebled sires Have sunk sad victims to the sateless fires; They greet with one last look their tottering walls, See the blaze thicken, as the ruin falls, Then o'er the country train their dumb despair, And far behind them leave the dancing glare; Their own crusht roofs still lend a trembling light, Point their long shadows and direct their flight.

Till wandering wide they seek some cottage door, Ask the vile pittance due the vagrant poor; Or faint and faltering on the devious road, They sink at last and yield their mortal load.

But where the sheeted flames thro Charlestown roar, And las.h.i.+ng waves hiss round the burning sh.o.r.e, Thro the deep folding fires dread Bunker's height Thunders o'er all and shows a field of fight.

Like nightly shadows thro a flaming grove, To the dark fray the closing squadrons move; They join, they break, they thicken thro the glare, And blazing batteries burst along the war; Now wrapt in reddening smoke, now dim in sight, They rake the hill, or wing the downward flight; Here, wheel'd and wedged, Britannia's veterans turn, And the long lightnings from their muskets burn; There scattering strive the thin colonial train, Whose broken platoons still the field maintain; Till Britain's fresh battalions rise the height, And with increasing vollies give the fight.

When, choked with dust, discolor'd deep in gore, And gall'd on all sides from the s.h.i.+ps and sh.o.r.e, Hesperia's host moves off the field afar, And saves, by slow retreat, the sad remains of war.

There strides bold Putnam, and from all the plains Calls the tired troops, the tardy rear sustains, And, mid the whizzing b.a.l.l.s that skim the lowe, Waves back his sword, defies the following foe.