The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-07-06
By reques
Centennial ode.
BY PAUL HAYNE.

BY PAUL HAYNE
Harkl hark down the century's long reaching slope
To those transports OF triumph, those raptures Of
hopes Isl 4Mr a4f4A
The voicee OF main and OF mountain combined,
In glad resonance borne on the wings of the wind
The bass Of the drum and the trumpet that thrills
Thro the multiplied echoes Of 1uhilant hills, J..
Ard mark, how the years melting upward like mist
Which the breath Of some splendid enchantress has
,A kissed, sf-tf so la a4tla -t4.f
Reveal ON the ocean, reveal on the shore,
The proud pageant OF conquest that graced them Of
i 10 yore, sa I5uvi ia.
Where blended forever; in love as in fame
Sees the standard that stole from the starlight Its
'sa flame, aa H. fe,5H3 n
And typeo all chivalry glory, romance,
The fair lilies the luminous lilies Of Franco.
Obi stubborn the strife ere the conflict was wonl
And the Wild whirling war -wrack half stiied the
ii sun,
The thunder OF cannon that doomed on the lea.
tre-echoed far thunders pealed up from the sea,
Where gurding his sea lions, knight on the waves
Bold De Grasse kept at bay the bluff bulldogs of
Graves;
The day turned to darkness, the night changed to
Still more fierce waxed the combat more deadly the
ire,
Undimmed by the gloom, in majestic advance.
Ali behold whore they ride, DER the red battle tide
Whose banners unite in love or In fame,
The brave standard which drew from the star beams
their flame, ,-....+s &
And type Of all chivalry, glory, romance.
The fair lilies, the luminous lilies OF France.
No respite, no causei By the Yorks tortured flood,
The gray lion OF England is writhing in blood
Nayp Ifa eI,o 70 Tor Iaf
AS he sharpens his broad sword and buckles his
spur.
''This blade which so oft has reaped rebels like
grain,
Shall now harvest for death the rude yeoman
again.
Vain boasti for ere sunset he is flying in fear,
With the rebels he secuted close close in his rear
The French on his flank hurl such voleys of shot
That cen Gloucester's redoubt must be growing too
hot.
o, welded in love, as united In fame,
See the standard which stole from the starlight its
fame, ..as
And type Of all chivalry, glory, romance,
The fair lilies, the luminous lilies of France.
OF morning superb when the seige reached Its
closet
See the dawn outbloom like the alchemsts rose;
The last wreath of smoke from the trenches up
curled, E.. n
Are transformed to glory that smiles on the world.
Joy, joyi Save the wan, wasted front of the foe.
With his battle flag furled and his trailing low
Respect for the brave. In grim silence they yield,
And in silence they pass with bowed heads from the
field.
Then triumph transcendantl SO Titan of tone
That some vowed it must startle King George on
his throne z
When peace to her own timed the pulse of the land,
And the war weapon sank from the war wearied
hand,
Young Freedom, upborne to the height Of the goal,
She had yearned for SO long with deep travail of
OF soul.
A song OF her future raised thrilling and clear
TILL the woods learned to hearken, the hillsopes
to hear,
Yet fraught with IL magical granduers that CLEAN
On the hero's high hope or the PATRIOTS dream,
What Future, tho bright la cold shadow shall cast
The stern beauty that halos the brow of the past.
OF welded In love united in fame,
See the standard which stole from the starlight Its
flame,
And type Of all chivalry, glory, romance,
The fair lilies, the luminous lilies of France