Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-06

The following generous tribute to tn
genius OF our great poet Lonfellow is one o
the most recent productions of Lady Wilde
of DIblln, whose earliest poetry, over tbs
signature of 'Speranza," was q most attract
i've and popular feature in the golden prime
OF the Nation, the best journal of patriotism
and politics, literature and art, ever publish
ed in Ireland
AVE CESAR
Inscribed 10 Henry Eadsworti LOnqisH0I.
BY LADY WILDE.
o Poet King! whose words have swept the seas,
Bringing 10 distant nations argosies
or golden fretted thought. and costlest gems
Flashing diyiner light than dladems-
Ave the generation cries to thee,
Ave Columbia's King OF Minstrelsy
We Of the hali-developed souls, We pass
As leeting shadows e'er the wind struck grass,
But Genius never dies the Poets words
Strike deeper than the CRsars copquerings words,
And shines across dim seas, guiding Star,
Immortal as the God whose breath they are.
The solemn beauty OF thy "Psa I'm Of Lifs,'
SILL through the thunders crash and torrents roar
The silver clarion Of Excelsior"
Floats like an angels voice above the din
Oi human passion doubt and fear and sin,
To guide the soul through storm and cloud and
night
To tine grand stiffness of Gods mountain he ght.
Like winged seeds thy thoughts have taken root
In human hearts and borne immortal fruit
Golden Legend. haunting lands and seas
With holy, tender, Chris:-llke memories.
Poet Of Joys and tears life's deepest chords
Have trrmbed TO the music OF thy words,
soit as the murmurs OF the forest glade
Where his liiawatha wood the Indian maid
And oh how sweetly sac that tale Of love
CUR falling tears upon the page will prove,
hhere, IN Thy cadenced verse, the sachem's dau.h-
ter,
Tho, dead, yet ever lives THE Laughing Water"
While the deep story OF q human soul
Seeking its lost ideal till the goal
AT last is reached when Death has rent the Screen,
Finds its great type in thy "ErAngelins."
What need In those faint echoes to rehearse
The stately beauty OF thy latter verse:
Now soft as Lydian melodies that float
hound lair young brows enwreathed with melilots
Row strong as music by the Vikings osr
Cleaving the wild waves by the Northern sho-e.
Saeet Poet OF all seasons ana al times,
oi hosers and forest leaves and holy chimes
OF all that is dvinest IN the strife,
When youth wars boldly on the field oi Life
OF human griei, c. which thoust felt the smart
When sorrow smote the anvil OF the heart !.
Ana hopes that rose in starilsmes fell TO the dust
Yet ere the souis strong powers corrods and ru,t,
Ia the rich, sunset radisnce OF thy Lines
The ''Aitermatk" o! golden harvest shines.
All that is hollest thy Song has reached;
All that is loyeliest thy Verse has preached
.s from Chalce OF the Sacred blood
Thy pure soul poured its strong. life giving dood.
OF word's that flashed Europe's farthess snores,
And entered in our gates as congusroui
Passed the great portals OF all Lands, and round
I he nations one Electric Coil have wound;
MhiIe they give US back through every changing
mood
Of many nSues. thy thoughts. and find them good
kven th's, what science dreamed. thy Verse AT
taius.
Linking two Worlds in one with Golden Chains.
Now, IN the Indian summer ofthy days
We bring thoe sacTihcial hymns OF praise,
As 10 a fOet, Prophet, Priest, and King.
The irankincense Of joyful Thanksgiving.
kise, then, iIon the Arena: take the Crown
The Nations offer thee Of proud renown;
Wear II, Warrior for the True and hi .ht
Fur thou hatt won il In a glorious light.
HerceiUrtn thy conseciated place shall bo
with all the crowned Gods Of Poesie
In the Worlds Temple. 4 etar amidst the Stars
a Leader in the Spirits Victor Nars.i
Thy cory lsthy cOuntry's, but thy words
Are The World heritage, immortal chords
That vbirate Ever as the A ges roll,
Waking the oodlike IN the human SOU.
Dubln, ls7s.