Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-07-15
From the Uaion Magazine for July
The Needle, Pen, and Sword.

BY L. sIGouRSEY.
What hast thou seen, with Thy shining eye,
Thou Needle, subtle aud keens
have been in Paradise, stainless and lar,
And fitted the apron Of ig-leaves there,
To The form Of It's fallen Queen.
The nantes and wmples, the hood and wells,
That the bellies Of judah wore,
When their naughty mein and their glance OF hre
Enkihded The eloquent prophets ire,
| helped TO fashion Of yore.
The beaded belt of the indian maid
have dtcked with ~ true zeal
As tn. gotgeous ruff OF the knight of old
Or the monarchs mantle Of purple and gold,
Or the sutraps broideIed heel
| have lent to Beauty new power to reign
At bridal, and couttly hall
Or, welded TO Fashion, have helped to bind
Those gosssmer links that the strongest mind
Have sometimes held in thrall
have drawn drop, SO round and red,
From the finger, small and white,
OF the startled child, rs she sirove with care
Her doll to deck with some gewgaw rare,
But wept at my Puneiure bright
have gazed the mothers patient brow,
As my utmost speed she Piled,
To shield from winter her children dear,
And the knell Of midnight smote her ear,
While they slumbered at her side.
have heard, in the hut of the pining poor,
The shvering inmate sigh,
When faded the warmth Of her last faint brand,
As slow from her cold and clammy hand
She lie, me dfop-to die!
What dost thou know, thou gray Gooss Quill!
And methougbt, with spasm of pride,
II sprang from the ukstand, and nattered in-vsin,
Its nib 10 free from the ebon stain,
As il iervently replied;
"Hhai do Iknosop--Let thu lover tell
When into his secret scroll
He pnurrth the breath OF a magic Tyre,
And traceth those MY stical lines Of FIRE
Which move the maiden soul.
What do TknoioP-- wife can say,
As the laden seasons move,
And over the ocean widest spray
A blessed missve doth wend It's way,
Inspired by husband love.
Do We doubt my power 2--Of the statesman ask,
Who faceth Ambition s blast:
or the convict who shrinks m his cell Of care;
flourish of mine hath sent him there,
And locked his letters fast;
And flourish of mine can his prison oPe--
From the gallows its victim save
Break of the treaty that kings have bound
Make the oath OF nation empty sound,
And 10 liberty lead the slave.
Say, what were History so wise and old
And Science, that reads the sky
Or how could Music lis sweetness store
Or Fancy and fiction their treasures pour
Or what were Poesy heaven laugh, lore,
Should the pen its aid deny
oh, doubt, if ye will that the rose is fair,
That the planets pursue their way
Go, question the fires of the noOntide sun,
Or the countless streams that 10 ocean run,
But ask no more what the Pen hath done. -
And il scornfully turned away
What ATE thy deeds-thou fearful thing
By the lordy warriors side'
Aud the Sword answered. stern and slow
"The hearth. stone louc, and the orphan, know
And the pale and widowed bride.
The shrek and the shroud Of the ba,ile-cloud,
And the field that doth rock below;
The wolf that laps where the cash Is red.
And the suture that tears ere the life hath He'd,
And the providing robber that strips the dead,
And the foul hyeua know.
The rusied pillow, and the seed unsown,
And the grass thai doth rankly grow
Der the roIting limb, and the blood pool dark,
Gaunt Famine, that quenches Life lingering spark,
And the lack-winged Pestilence, know.
Death, with the rush Of his harry brood,
Sad Earth, in her pang and three,
Demons, that riot in slaughter and crime,
And the throng Of the souls sent before their time
To the bar Of the Judgment, know
Then the terrible Sword TO its sheath returned.
While the Needle sped on in peace;
But the Pen traced out from Book sublime,
The promise and pledge OF that better time
When the warfare Of Earth shall cease