The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-02-02
POETRY
ny ono. D. rRESrrcx.

IT'S midnights holy hour--and silence now
Is brooding, like gentle spirit, Ger
The stili and pulseless world. Hark on tho winds
Tho BELLS deep tones arc swelling It's tho knell
OF the departed year. No funereal train y
Il sweeping pasti Jet, on the stream and wood.
With melancholy light. tho moonbeams rest,
Like q pale spdtless shroud the air Is stirr'd,
As by mourner's sigh and on yon eloud,'
That floats so still aud plscidly through heaven.
The spirits Of the seasons seem to stand
Young Spring, bright Summer, Autumn's sOloEan
- form C s.4st.fst ts
And Winter with his aged ioeks--and breathe
In mournful eadences, that come abroad
Like the far wind-harp's wild and touching vail,
A melancholy dlrge Ger the dead year, -
Conc from tho earth forever. 'Tis time
For memory and Tor tears. Within tho deep
Sull chambers of the heart, spectre dim,
Whose tones are like ths wizard voice Of Time,
Heard from the tomb of ages. points its cold
And solemn finger to tho beautiful
And holy visions that have passed away,
Aud left no shadow Of their lOviness
On the dead waste Of Life. That spectre lifts
The eofin-ldfOf hope, and JOY, and love,
And bending mournfally above the pale,
Sweet forms that slumber there, soattcrs dead
flowers teAsst
Ger what has pass'd to nothingness. The year
Has gops and with il, many glorious throng
OF happy dreams. Its mark Is each brow.
It's shadow in each heart. In its swift course
1t waved its scsptro DER the beautiful,
And they are not. II laid its pallid hand
| Upon the strong man, and the naughty form
Is fallen, and the flashing eye is dim.
II trod the hall of reyelry, where throng'd
The bright and joyous. and the fearful vail
OF stricken ones is heard, where erst the song
And reckless shout resounded. II passed Ger
The ba,tle-plain, where sword and spear and
| shield
Flask'd in the light Of mid d-dAy-and tho strength
OF ssrried hosfg is shigered, and tho grass.
Green from the soil Of Carnage, wares above
The crush'd and mouidering skeleton. II came
And faded like wreath OF mist at eve;
Yet, ere Il melted in tho visWless air,
| It hsralded its millions TO their home
In the dim land of dreams. RsmoSsslcss 9itae-
Fierce spirit Of ths glass and seythe-what power
Can stay him in his silent course. or melt
His iron heart TO pityl On, stiIl on
lie presses. and forever. The proud bird
The condor Of the Andes. tha.ean soar
Through heavens unfathomable depths. CT bgsg'
The fury Of the northern hurricane.
And battle his pihmage in the thander''s home,
Furs his broad wings a, nightfall, and sinks dow
To rest upon his mountaineering; bat Time
Knows not ths weigh, Of sleep wearness,
And nights deep darkness has chain 70 bind
His rushing PiIiVas. hs'UiHtious sweep
Der earth. like troubled visions eT the breast
or dreaming sorrow cities rise and sink,
Like bubbles on the water isry isles
Spring, blazing, from the ocean. and go back
To their mysterious csvsrnsi mountains rear
To heaven their bald ard blasksad cliffs, tnr
Their tall heads to the plainai Esw empires rise,
Gathering the strength Of koary centuries,
And rush down like the Alpine avalanche,
Startling the nations; and the very stars
Yon bright and burning bl2zoury Of God
iGlitter awhile in their eternal depths,
And, like the Pisisdes-loYeliest of their train
Shoot from their glorious spheres. and pass away
To darkIs in the traekless yoid yet Time
Time, the tomb:buiIder. holds his fierce career,
Dark, stern, all-pitiless, and Pauses not
Amid ths mighty wrecks that strew his path,
Upon the fearful ruin he has wrought.