Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-06-27
POETRY.
V L. r MO N II.

Thou, on the bosom of thy rich domain,
o. er which the airy pinions of the North
Hover nigh half tho year-and ON the swell
Of thy ud-piercing range, that in thy name
PrOcaims its veTdant honOrs-dOst repose.
Thy sons, hardy that turn the soil,
Or from the pierced hill sides draw heavy ore,
Or from the mapo's dripping veins, rich Juice,
Or tend the flock whose fleece Ia valued freight
Is by the breath OF commerce scattered far,
As in thy north winds borne, the unstained flakes
Light with soft feather on the mother earth,
Pierced, else with cold Thy sons, have they souls
Or have they not,-as hardy as thy cline,
With stern denial braced with temperance strong!
They drain not-do they ?-the luxurious cup
Of false delights ond wasting maladies;
They with quick instinct, shun the poisonous breath
With horror strong abjure the murderous trade;
Say, do they not?-
vermont, thy check is tinged
With shame aud quivers on thy lip;
A giant thou, thy breast yet heaves with pain,
And griofs, fast gathering, drop from either eye;
Yet mid sad thought sudden glory CLEANS,
AS golden sunsets glisten through the shower.
Thou risest!-At thy rising forests bend,
And deep attention holds the listening land
From quiet Champlain to the queen-lke stream,
Connecticut, that all her music sinks
To sotest flow, and grees thy truthful voice,
Solemn as Autumn's winds ameng tho pnes,-
Clear as the Winters clarion on the hills.
" Shall aught beneath the nobest mortal aim
Possess your breasts, of this favored cline !?
Look to the air above-the earth around
Concious that He who piled your snow-topped heaps,
Your being formed, outmeasurng the earth
Enduring as his Ie tottering
Who dare the drunkard's end-ye prudent ones
Who tread the drunkards verge-ye gainfu ones
Who take the drunkards spo-here the bound
The narrow bound Of time, your footing make
For altered purposes; which, sought too late,
Tn immense TO come denes and shall deny,
Fen to the struggles of the deathless mind.
Shall your frail tenement and its priceless guest
Be fuel minstered to burning taste'
Shall weak indulgence dry the fountains up
OF wealth, of knowledge, worth and happiness'
Or will we, with fixed and pledged CONSENT
In every station, every family,
To break the chains Of ruling Appetite
To bear, in every bounteous work, your part
After the power of an immortal life
Tob 20 happy state) yourselves and God's!"
Loud as the cataract down the riven barrier
Th' answering shout swels from thousand tongues,
And thousands still the answer pour along
Whose mngling echoes roll among the hills
And up the waters TO their fountain streams.
We hear, we feel, trust the mighty truth
Our unbound souls stretch towards tn offered joy,
Like young eaget nursed, free thought springs
Away TO ceave tn expanse of light and love-
Closer we bind our magic abstinence pledge
Anew we dedicate our hearts, and act
To pure morality and social veal:
b A. when 'he .urning cup hath pissed away,
The tempter passed--the drunkard ceased to reel-
Still shall our hand bear water TO the roots
OF virtues plants and young instuction's tree"
o vision best! if vision true it be
Vermont, thy old men in debate view,
Thy young men nerved in act, thy younger sons
And daughters in procession long and sweetj
Their sky dipped flags, cGrulean or white,
Sun-lit, CLEAN truth in sparkling characters,-
Their face content, with patriotic love.
Shall virtue, order, knowledge spring anew
God Of the waters send thy Spirit down.
Then o Vermont thy glory hastens on:
E'en now, deem, its sunbeams streak thy east,
Like the mild glimmer of millenial dawn,
Like the far coming of Messah's sign.