The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-10-01
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Ihe -OLtl.. Ga1oe.
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9 The Ola Canoe.
~ e. "a vi --8 slaa -
~, Z Twenty years. ago. the following
.poemof ':the Old Canoe, went tht
rounds of the newspaper press ant
was regarded as one of the smooth
est, sweetest metriqal1 compositions
ss1of its day. It was attributed to th'
pen of Gen. Albert Pike. of Ark
Tie aCourjef-J9aan@ reprints the
original poem and gives with it /
parody by a gentleman Of that city
(which is very happy imitation !.
acFs THE OLD CANOE.
Where the rocks are gray and the shore is steep, 2
md the waters below look dark and deep,
I'D Where the rugged pine, in its lonely pride, !
70 Leans gioomly over the uaurzy tide; eaa r.
E. Where the reeds and ruahcs are long and rank,
IN And the weeds grow thick on the winding bank
where the shadow is heavy the whole day through
There lies at its moorings the old canoe. -
Pie useless paddles are idly dropped, --
Like ssa-6ird's wings that the storm has Topped
And crossed on the railing, one Ger one,
Like the folded hands when II work is done
While busily back and forth between r. -r.
Z The spider stretches its silTery screen .-- .
And the solemn owl, with his dun "too-hoo,v
Settles down on The side Of the old canoe.
The etern half sunk in the Shiny wave, ~
Rots slowly away in its living grave,
And sile green moss ereeps DER its duh decay
Hiding its rnoIde1ing dust away.
Like the hand ting plants DER the tomb q flower,
Or the ivy that nientes the falling tower; -a
While many a blossom Of loveIiest hue
Springs mp DER the stern Of the old canoe.
Ths eurrentlees waters are 7ead and stu
But the light wind plays with The boat az viii,
And lazny in and out again
II foGts the length of the rusty chain
Like the weary march Of the hands Of time
That meet and part at the noontide chime
And the shore is kissed at each turning anew,
By the Gripping bow Of the old canoe
SIP Oh, many a time, with careless hand, =.
have pushed it away from hc-pebbly strand
+ And padded it down where the stream runs a i h
Where the whirIs wild and the eddes are thick.
Andlaughed as leaned DER the rocking side,
Aad looked below in the broken tide
10 see that the faces and boats we're two
+ Chat were miIrored sack from old canoe.
=. But now, as I lean Ger the crunsbllng side,
- And look below, in the sluggish tide
The face that see thcre:s grayer grown,
and the laugh that hear has a soberer tone,
And the hands that lent to the light skin wings
Have grown familiar with steruer- tlings
Bot love to think of the hours that sped
As rocked where the whirls their white spray shed
Rre the BLOSSOM waved OF tie grceu grass grew
Der the moldering stern Of the old canoe.
sTHE OLD DREss-coAr---A PARODY on GEs. ALBEIT
PIKEs ''oLD CANOE"
Where cobwebs are thick and ceiling low
And the dusty floor looks dark below
Where trunks and boxes in lonely pride
Are glooInily ranged round the rough wall side:
Where pictures hang:that are.old and dim,
Where old hats lay devoid Of brim
where the pas over al IN dust = wrote,
- Hangs on 4 nail the old dress-coat
The ren-ygorn lis are lily dropped,
Like sea-brds wing that the storm hath stopped
And down from the shoulders, zone by one,
Hang the threadbare arms whose work rs done;
While buafy back and forth between
The spiders stretch thedr silver screen,
And their struggling victims YEARLY tote
Across the breasts Of the Old dress-co2t.
The glossy cloth that a iuster gave
Bots slowly away to It's hidden grave;
The green nnIdew creeps Ger IS decay,
Hiding the moldering past away
Like the hand that plants DER the tomb flower
Or the ivy that mantles fallen tower,
While fading colors, once remote,
Throw their -sombre hues Ger the old dress-cOat.
The hezYiug breasts sretead and still,
But the light winds play with the flaps ct VIII;
And la,zily swinging its shabby tail,
II floats its length from a rusty NALL
Like pendulum moving the hands of time,
That meet and part at the nOon-ttde chime.
a And the arms; together kindly doat,
AS II to greet DER tue old dress-coat.
IN many a-fi17le. in In. ol5er dav
I've brushed its folds and dust a7ay.
And decked- myself Tor the evening ban,
Where the dance was Wild, and love ruled all;
And laughed as Iwhirled il the giddy dance,
AT the girls sly look and adrairing glance
And felt youths music's sweetest uote,
Al Lsanntered along in my fine drcss-coat
But now, as turn from its molte1fng pride,
And look in the broken glass IL its SIDE,
The face that I see is grs.ver grown,
And the laugh that I hear has 9 soberer tone.
And the form that gave it such graceful swings
Hath bowed meath Ethe weight OF sterner things;
But love to think Of the happy hours
danced in my coat mid music and flowers,
Ere the steps of time in its rude march snlote,
and crushed the pride Of my old dress-eoat.