New-York daily tribune., 1844-04-03
THE TRIB U n E :.
For the Tribune.
THE PRINCETON,
A POEM, BY JAMES II. COLLIER.

THE PRINCETON.
A POEM. BY JAMES II. COLLIER.
TurRr was sound OF revelry and mir'i--
Columbias Capital had gathered there
Her love and pride, her beauty and her wor'h'
And Childhood's laugh and voice OF maiden falr
Rang sweetly out upon the sunny air, ing
The brighrhued flowers OF youths first blossom
And Manhood threw aside its weight OF care,
With the light thoughts that Woman's smiles e'er
bring,
To say welcome back the first glad breath of Spring
Ha! tits gallant vessel, yon proud ship
AS on its way unconsciousy II leaps,
Scarce in tn unrufled stream it seems to dip:
Though ceaseess vigils Ger the sea ii keeps
Not on the wings Of sluggish breeze II creeps,
But like spirit onward it doth move
When the wild wind in its dark cavern sleeps,
Seeming thing OF beauty and OF love,
Gliding so calmly on, as gentle as dove.
Ii is the ove-feast of its gala morn
And like the roses ona young brides brow,
The pennants gay its tapering nasts adorn,
And spotess streamers deck its swan-lke Prow
And its bright sides, as fast ii dances now
Over the waves, are wet with specks OF foam,
Like virgin tear-drops shed above the vow
That tears her from the quiet Of her home
Ger life's storn-billows and dark to wildly roam
And light feet tread upon that snowy deck,
And light hearts bound new pleasures still to lind,
No fear 10 dream of, and no care 10 reck 81
And whisperings of love, and words that bind
The links of offriendship and Of feelings kind
And witching music that the heart loves best,
Floating III gladness on the summer wind;
And we'll turned compliment and merry jest
Flow round the joval board, and TO the feast give
Zest.
And now they listen TO the mellow strain yorc;
Ofsome sweet song, that wakes the thoughts OF
And now they mingle in the dance again,
Or view the scenery of winding shore,
The lovely meadow, or the mountain hoar,
The coumned clouds, that in the sky afar
Seem like the giant forms of things no more
And now admire the nicely balanced spar,
And now the pomp and panoply OF horrid war
"Come. lods! bring forth once more that booming
gun,
And while the meriiment runs high below.
Ere yet in splendor sinks the setting sun,
Once more in echong thunder shall it show
The iron death it deals our countrys foe:
and sea,
And bloody Murder, Misery, and Woe,
Like headless shadows, stalk at liberty, free"
Its warning death-note speakssde vengeance Of the
"Ay-Ay" the quick response OF ready crew
AS though with love ofcarnage halfimbued,
The heavy gun cast loose around they slue,
And with speed an enemy had rued,
Feed the grim monster with its deadly food
With curious eve all cluster round the spot
Where fearessly the gallant seameu stood,
The port-fire smoking in the twisted knot,
To mark the rapid pathway of the fatal shot.
One moment! and geum as meteor bright
Like lightning flashed on every face around
And then, u darkness like the depth OF night
And then there came dull unearthly sound,
Like the deep echo of the yawnng ground
A shrek, as though the very fends ofh hell,
Wsking from sleep eternal and profound,
Had oined at once that horrid cry TO swell,
Whose feaitulness no human tongue can ever tell:
And then again, there was an awful pause-a Still,
And deep, ana breathless silence far and near
Save the hearts pulses hot and feverish thrill
Why paled the maiden, when that sound OF fear
Burst in it. wildness on her startled ear
Why, as stern men gazed thro' that smoky
wreath, [tear Z?
Blanched swarthy cheeks ne'er molstened by
The quivering features and the deep-drawn breath
Told that they knew that horrd cry-the cry OF
DEATH
And there hopeless bitterness and wo-
And agony, such as but few can bear
And broken hearts, SO blithe an hour ago
And bursting sobs, like storms of liquid fire
And choking sighs, that on the spirit wear
And the wild 6erceuess of the maniac laugh
And the sad lstlessness OF deep despair
And tears, that drops from founts Of e-blood quati
Shed over hopes thus scattered TO the winds like
chaff.
At morn, in life, and health, and happiness,
They had come forth without thought OF dread
From friendships greeting, and from love- caress,
And ties that bind when other ties have fled,
And thoughts still dear when other thoughts are
dead
Ano but moment since in pride they stood,
Perchance with light word on their lips unsaid-
Where were tfey now? Replied the gurslng
blood
Hurled in an instant TO the presence OF their God
Now manly beauty-and now shapeless death
No painful pang-no asonizing trace
No dying struggle-and no taintng breath
No parting ,ear-no last and long embrace
No cry for mercy-and no prayer for grace
Their funeral knell--the bursting cannons roar !:
Their death-train-clouds upon their noisclcss