New-York tribune., 1876-07-03
TIE AMERICAN CENTENARY.
. POEM BY AN ENGLISH UNDERGRADUATE.

written by Alfred William WlnterslOw Dale, freshma
Of Trinity College, and to him the Cbanceilor's Meda
was awarded At Commencement Below Is a copy Of tn
| poemi
/ Not over violet seas that rise and fall
/ With whispering winds beneath an eastern skA
] Lay the mysterious Island OF the Blest,
/ Nor in the limits OF pent-up lake
Where timid scamen crept from isle 10 isle,
/ Scattered like stars in heaven, as a child
| Through the wide field wandcrs with doubling zoos
/ By daisies led that ever Oeckon on
| But with the western sun, fore shifting gales
/ Of hope and doubt fail many weary soul
| Set sail upon the deep, and shot between
| The twin tall pillars-that sheer precipice
! From known To my ystcry-then INTO a sea
Where wave and sky blent with wreaths Of cloud
| without guide TO lead, or star TO cheer.
! And there he wandered, ere the storm came on
! Ard whelmed his bark, yet In his darkest hour
/ Found-not the shore he sought amidst the gloom,
/ But lies eternal secret clear at last
! Lies InnOst mystery all made bright IN death.
/ And ages pissed, aud races rose and fell.
| Aud from their ashes other nations sprang,
Like flowers that draw life from the past years grave
! Last a strong soul, after long days gi strife,
| Polling the fears within, the foes without,
| SET sall from Spain, and cropping IN the gloom
! After the flying shore, the fable land,
/ stood hravely On In face Of sea and storm.
! AMI ere he won his goal. full many pledge
| or triumph long delayed came drifting ON
Far DER the darkening blue, rs land gre" near
Lurking amid "a mass Ot cloudy sky,
! Low wing in the far or western wave;
! Then year by year swept ON, and as they ran
| Great forests rose and crumbled, anu the lives
or men passed with them, while mighty race
Was gathering slowly, as the atoms meet
That "a torn the framework of a star
And mid the crash of Kingdoms ard Of thrones
Rising like coral reefs from laundering seas.
Ana British speech and British Laws were theirs
And British Princes Faithfully they served
For many year, and rendered every due
A. IL besermed them. til an evil day
Game ON the rulers, and possessed their souls
with foul injustice working cruel wrong
Then famed our fathers spirit and they dared
A struggle all uneven. tiE they broke
The tyrant', chain aud won their human right
Earning their freedom with free heart and soul
And now a century has passed, aud we
Honor the day with deep and nOly JOY,
And aii keep IeS lNii!. Far O'er tIp pialn
The tide Of gadhess flows and on the bills
That rise far inland, breaks an cchOing foam.
And over breezy seas that swell IN chime
with the hoarse chant the murmur wanders
Til lost amid wild .rness Of wave
Here j. peoples giadness on this day
truce 10 envy, strlle. and Jealousy
Perish the s.ltsn soul that Will but make
A lie 80 little that might be- 80 great;
IHar crecps into a corner Of the world,
with the deep heaven Outsprcad 80 wide above,
And hugs its petty joys and walls it. woes,
lt> petty woes, all careless OF it, kind.
TGI5 Is the nations triumph. aud the heart
Must leap for giadness, thinking DER the past,
BUt Ofttlmes IN the ctlmer hours Of he,
When PASSIONS heat is cooled ana souls still,
We turn IA wlstful eye TO our Old home
And our Old kindred a son who left
lils fathers side N ttt Ot restlessncss,
Amid his manh0od's struggle OFT looks back
To the Old hauIts. home OF his DOyhOOds days.
10 the old fields and those that are mOte
While a strange mist sJeals up and dims his eye
Aud now tue sounds or strife have died away
Dropping like waves on MlSsisSippls breast,
When every breeze is sUmDcrlug, and the stream
Mirror, "a second shore with hill and tree,
shelving in sOfteEed beauty. while The lark
Links her sweet treble 10 the deeper bass
.! thc broad Stream that marches toward its home,
Calm @ I'D itS sr.iiS'A as ths dlin sea rows eielr
The tl.e breed Of boastfni tauits, % hoen
As indian arrows, ranking where they fail,
! 10 .lay our children, when our lips are st.u
And cold N death. Far nOblcr Is the soul
| That leaves its deeds ~ silence, TO be- told
/ BY otier lips, crowned with dnorncr's praise.
/ Let others speak the worth Of those VINO dared
And who endured 80 mob ); lives Ike theirs
] Ilrid not To death. Ine narp wiz murnUr
Zen when the hand that swept the cords Is STILL
hundred years are past, and still We stand,
/ y child the but brow
! l. flrrOWcd deep with wrinkle and with scar,
/ fines handiwOrk stern power who would not spare
Youth fresh rs ours. bat plunged us deep IN sin
! And whelIned MS dark IN sorrow, yet srill ef5
Youths one sweet blessing ours, The light OF Hopo,
/ Hope for tine chances of tie years % como.
/ DIfSlug our fatners to!ed; tley might not know
| Tue outcome Of thclr toll; tHey might not
! The bOunteOus harvest Of their souls deep Ill.
/ - were a star Nndled far up IN heaven,
! Year after year is ray would travel
sweeping through sen,eiess space 10 might reach
| In!s world OF ours ana pour new glory forth
! Zoo late tO light the Jge with which 10 rose.
And strange Cneir Lar, est was good than soul
| had ever dreamed or evil heavier ilr
! lnan deep despair eer prcslged bod.ng III
! IN darkest moments OF 4 drrury uay.
and had they seen the future Of Jue Land
On wuCh they layIshed strength and life and love,
Would they have tOied on stII Would they nave born
Iae Nulen seas ana the wlntry stormi
Dark was the paoh OF those who .laSpe, the helm
And Steered the state TO safety, when The b.ast
| Ana there wer, two foremost Inn worth wboSr fame
Burns ever brightly passing storms may dim,
Though for a moment only, then rAe gieam
Bursts forth as mOJnbeIis flash far down the night
"hen winds Are rppliLg all The clouds n ueaveu
Lincoln aud Wasn.ngton-sgeaU souls that rose
! IN darkest hours the one to rear the state,
Ihe other, When grim war; escaped from Hell,
Was broOllng DER the gloom, 10 save the land,
Ana GIfah o hgr io,s ana % t.rns friends
| rlOry ike yOG j, put pass 10 other themes
| Ia silent reverence a. DER no ground,
Laying but ms poor iywcret on your graves.
Not ours the gorlcs Oi the mpre- Oid,
! OF those old Ku -lOms, rich in legend fame
| Nnich ages mellow. as whel moonbealns tan
| And ,dnce round Go2iy keep while battlement
Aud stern gray tower are soft with silyery light
%
! 10 the dun past we claim, yes can We bo.st
! ilearts noble with u wealth OF natures dover,
! ItiCh IN the many grace ~ ,entieurss
! We boast no sacred ministers, old anu q W,
! All clustered round by sacred memories
! OF saints OF pygOne days, ivy leaves
And mosses cling about the aging elm,
| hIcher ana Ilirer W tn the Passing year.
! But pray ef and praise as deep and true ascend
| rom city ana from solitude 90 heaven,
! from thrUug OF worship els, where but one
! 'ad solitary soul looks up To God,
| Deep IN the forest meath the tail pines shade,
| Or rocked upon The wave OF some gray stream
! AZ fIOm tie sorrows and the Joys OF men.
! An me! fear the voice were all untrue
| That claimed us brightest OF the OF men
| For in the music OF our nations ,ife
| Lurks many j.rring discOrd, stroag to mar
! lhe sweet perfection OF the harmony.
! The sins Of bygoDe stain noe.
| For evil changes with the changing years
! or every SOU, ana clothes Itself anew
| IN Other Sirb. We also have our part
IN that dark cup OF which the wuole world drinks.
! 30 while Que sOul Is led 10y ignorance
| Aud "ant, ia paths or SHINE that snk 10 crime,
! The boast is vain. No liberty Is theirs
| Who Tree IN body, sull slaves III soul.
| The years OF uan are tllreescOrc years aud ton,
! Ana they themselves are not the lie but .ead
! As porch q palace, prelude unto chant
! MajCStic-Or to CORY, or 10 shame;
GLORY tnat nat shines on earth ike dawn's blue rayA
! shame low as far-Of mutterlngs OF the storm.
| Gut centuries and ages span tue life
| or nations great as ours: ana here ON earth
| The punishment or III. though slow uf foot,
| UcriaSes the gully race, ana golden seed
! klpvns to golden harvest full and Iar.
| And iOr this our land may ages fall
| Dragged down III Times deep gulf: may ages rise,
| And We still rise IN them, as rose the earth
| WITH eacn succeeding cycle. iaiIer still
| And nUbcr, In IL, steddfast onward course