Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-08-14
POEM BY DIR. HOLMES.

Read at The meeting Of The Phi Beta Kappa, at Cam
bridge, July is.
In vain the common theme nv tongue would shun,
al tongues, all thoughts, all hearts can find but one.
our acove, where the noisy world dumb,
ihroo with dull drum beats, and the echoes come
Laden with sounds Of battle AMI wild cries
That minge their discordant symphonies.
Od books from yonder shelves are whispering Peace
This Is the realm of letters not Of strife"
Old graves in yonder field nre SAYING "Ceasei
me- Jdcet ends the nosest mortals e,"
Shut your old books What saws the teegraph2
We want an Extra, not an eptaph.
Old Classmates, (Timos' unconscious almanacs,
Counting the years we leave behind our backs,
And wearing them in wrinkles on the brow
VI friendship with his kind "How you noUT)
Take us By the hand and speak of times that were
linen comes moments pause: Pray tell me where
Your boy is nowl Wounded as | am told"
twenty" "What-bless mel twenty-one years
old!'
"Yes,-tmes moves fast." That's So Old class
mate say,
Do you remember oar Commencement-day?
Were we such boys as these at twenty?" Nav,
God calls them to a nobler task than ours
And gave them holier thoughts and maner powers
This is the dny Of fruits and not of fowerl
These "boys" we talk about like ancient sages
Are the same men we read of in old pages
The bronze recast of dead heroic ages
We grudge them not ,-our dearest, brvest, best
Met but the quarrel's issue stand contest;
'ris Earth's slave-GoL Battling for his crown
And Freedom lighting with her visor down!
Better the jagged shells their flesh should mnngle-
Better their bones from Rahab-necks should dangle
Better the fairest flower Of all our culture
Should cram the black nav OF the Southern vulture
Than Cain act DER the murder Of his brother
Unum on our side-pturi6us on the other
Each of us owes the rest his best endeavor;
Take these few lines,-we call them
Now or Never.
Listen young heroes your country is calling!
Time strikes the hour tOt the brave and the true.
Now while the foremost fighting and falling
Fill up the ranks that have opened for you!
You whom the fathers made free and defended
Stain not the scroll that embazons their fame!
You whose fair heritage spotless descended,
Leave not your children brthright of shame
Stay not for questions while Freedom stands gaspng
Wait not till Honor lies wrapped in his pail!
Brief the lips meeting be- swift the hands clasping-
"Of for the wars" is enough for them all!
Break from the arms that would fondly cnress you!
Hark! it's the bugle-blast sabers are drawal
Mothers shall pray for you, fathers shall bless YOU
Maidens shall weep for you when you are gone!
Never or now cries the blood of Il nation
Poured on the turf where the red should bloom
Now is the day and the hour of salvation;
Never or now! peals the trumpet of doom!
Never or now roars the hoarse-throaed cannon
Through the black canopy bottng the skies;
Never now! flaps the shell blasted pennon
Oer the deep ooze where the Cumberland lies!
From the foul dens where our brothers are dying
Aliens and foes in the land of their birth,
From the rank swnmps where our martyrs are lying
Pleading in vain for q handful of earth
From the hot plains where they perish outnumbered,
Furrowed and ridged by the battle-felds plough,
Comes the loud summons; too long you have slum-
bercd
Hear the last gel-trump-Never or Now!