Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-13

recognize the cypress-crowned poet Of the South
IN his finished measure. We are deeply graft
hed that Father Ryan has h0nOred us by SEND
ing il TO be published, first, in our columns.-h.
}. FTeem0R's Journal.
My brow is bent beneath heavy rodl
Ny face is wan and white with many woes,
But / will lift my poor, chained hands to God,
And for my children pray, and Tor my Toes
Beside the grave where thousands iowiy lie,
/ kneel-and weeping for each Slaughtered
| turn my gaze to my own sunny sky.
And pray Oh Father, may Thy will be done
Nv heart is filed with anguish, deep and vast
Ny hopes are buried with my ehildren's dust;
Ny joys have fed-my tears are flowing last;
Ia whom. save Thee, cur Father, shall
trust D.?
Ali forgot Thee, Father. long and oft,
When I was happy, rich, and proud, and free 1;
But conquered now and crushed, look alOft,
Aud sorrow leads me. Father, back TO Thee.
Amid the wrecks that mark the foeman's path,
1 kneel-and wailing Der my glOres gone,
/ still each thought Of hate, each throb OF
wrath,
And whisper-Father let Thy will be done.
Pity me- Father Of the desolatel
Alas my burdens are so hard to bear;
Look down in mercy ON my Wretched tate,
And keep me, guard me with Thy Loving care.
Pity me- Father, Tor His holy sake,
Whose broken heart bled at the feet of Grief,
That hearts of earth, wherever they shall break,
Might 20 to His and find a sure relief.
An. me how dark! Is this a brief eclpsey
Or is il Night, with no Tomorrow sum-
OH Fatherl Father with my pale. sad lips,
And sadder heart, pray, Thy will be done.
My homes are jOylesS, and million mourn
Where many met in Joys forever fOWn;
Whose hearts we're light, are burdened now and
lOrn,
Where many smiled, but one is left TO mourn.
And an! the widow 5 walls, the orphans cries,
Are morning hymn and vesper chant, to me /;
And groans of men, and sounds Of women's
signs,
Commingle, Father, with my prayer to Thee.
Beneath my feet-ten thousand children dead
Oh how | love each known, and nameless,
Above their dust l bow my erownless head,
And mUrmur, Fatherl still-Ihy will be
DONE
All! Father. Thou didst deck my own loved
With all bright charms, and beautiful and
But Goemen came, and with a ruthless hand.
Spread ruin, wreck and desOlatiOn there.
Girdled with gloom-of all my brightness
And garmented with grief. l kiss thy rod;
And turn my face, with tears all wet, and
worn,
10 eaten one smile OF pity from my bOu.
Around me blight, where all before was bloOnl
And so much lOst-alas and nothing won
Save this-that | can lean on wreck and tomb,
And weep-and weeping pray, Thy will be
done.
And oh tits hard to say-but said, tbs sweet
The words are bitter. but they hold balm;
A balm that heals the wounds Of my defeat,
And lulls my SORROWS into holy calm.
Ii is the prayer of Prayers-and how Il brings,
n
When Jesus prayed it. did not angels wings
clean mid the darkness Of Gethsemane?
My children, Father. Thy forgiveness need
Alas their hearts have only place for tears
Forgive them, Father, eV ~ wrongful deed,
Aud every sin, Of those four mOUrnful years
And give them strength to bear their bOundless
And from their hearts take every Thought o
And while they climb their Calvary with sheh
Oh kelp them. Father. to endure It's weight.
And for nay dead, my Father, may pray2
Alb sighs may soothe. butprayer shall sootht
me morel FtaE
l keep eternal watch above their clay
Oh rest their souls, my Father implorei
Forgive my foes-tbey know not what they
Forgive them all the tears they nude m,
sn6ui
Forgive them-though my nobIest sons they
slew
And bless them-though they curse nay poor
dear dead.
Oh may my woes be each carrier dove,
With swift, white wings. that, bathing in M
tears,
win bear Thee, Father. all my prayers Q
love
And bring me peace in ell my doubts an'
fears.
Father. / kneel mid ruin, wreck and grave.
A desert waste, where all was erst 50 fair
And for my children and my foes / crave
Pity and pardOn-Fatherl hear my prayer