St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-06-02
THE POEM BY REV. F. B. PHELPS.

THE POEM BY REV. F. B. PHELPS.
Ertrdctsl
We deck with flowers to-day the graves of those
Who dared to die that Liberty might live;
Who when their country called made quick reply,
Ourselves to Freedoms cause we freely give"
Tread lightly as We near their place of rest;
Approach with reverence and care profound,
Your country's honored dead are buried here
And Patriots graves are surely holy ground.
Green is the turf to-day above their heads
And though the flowers which now We bring will
fade,
Yet neer from historys page shall pass away
The record of the sacrifice they made.
But ever green their memory shall remain,
While men are brave, and wOmen's hearts are true;
Youth yet unborn shall con their story DER;
And long like them, some noble deed TO do.
These mountains which on either side uprear
Their giant forms and ks. the clouds of heaven,
Send cooling brsezes mid the Summers heat
To fan our brOws, and keep pulses even.
So from the dizzy heights which heroes climb,
Comes to US in the wales below breath
To cheer and help. How noble and sublime
Is such life. How glorious such death.
Who are the heroesl Are they but the men
Whose mandates guided armies in the fieldi
Heroes there were of these we honor them,
Yet not to them alone our tribute yield.
Heroes are they, who when the urgent call
OF duty came, went forth with purpose high,
To stand between their country and her foes,
With hearts resolved to conquer or to die.
Not less hero, was the man who bore
A musket and did duty in the tanks,
Than he, who having filled leaders place,
Received, what he had earned, Nations thanks.
And we, who in these times of peace enjoy
The fruits of the great sacrifice they made,
Honor their memories and own a debt
OF gratitude which ne er can be repaid.
Here the graves of those who bravely shared
In the great struggle at our cOuntrys birth
When Freedoms little band stood boldly up
Against the mightest nation of the earth.
These bodies which have crumbled back to dust
| Were tabernacles then for heroes souls
| They battled trusting in the strength of Him
| Who all events in earth and heaven controls
Stern was the strife and long; but Freedoms God
Gave victory unto their arms And then
A government arose, whose corner stone
Was Liberty, and equal rights to men.
Then in the war of eighteen hundred twelve,
The question once more to AL issue came,
Whether the independence lately gained
Should be reality or but the name.
Fierce was the conflict. terrible the storm
OF fire, and sword which swept country er;
But heroes breasted it, and since its close
! Press gangs invade vessels decks no more.
One mound OF earth We deck with flowers to day,
Where rests what a soldiers body then,
And gazing ON it. whisper in our hearts
| The soldiers of that time noble men.
Years of prosperity and peace rolled by;
The handful to a nation strong had grown;
Progress in every useful art made,
Such the world before had never known.
| Which of the nations now will dare assail
The child of freedom grown to mans estate
What could the boldest of them hope to gain
BY venturing upon wars stern debate
But while secure from every foe without,
Treason within appraised its hydra head
With forked tongue, and venomed fang, prepared
In senseless rage to strike the nation dead
| Then Freedom called upon her sons again,
To rally for their affairs and their fires.
Do heroes yet remain upon the earthi
Are the worthy of their patriot sres :
Does there still flow in living veins to-day,
Blood such watered Bunker Hill of yore
Are there yet men like those of seventy-six
TO rally round their country's flag once more
From workshop, field office and counting room,
Came men responsive to their cOuntrys call
\ spirit flashing from each eager eye,
Which dangers could not daunt nor death appall.
Like tempests from the of EOlus,
| Which hurl the mariner rocky coasts,
/ So madly bowling round the ship of State,
Rushed on the fierce rebellious Southern hosts.
1t a of giants now, for men
Whose sires at Yorktown battled side by side
Men of the same bold and determined race
Now met as foeman in their strength and pride.
As storm-clouds driven by angry adverse winds
When they encounter III the upper air,
Thunder and crash and roar, and for all things
Seem swift destruction Fastening to prepare;
Or the waves by ocean tempests driven,
Reaching at length some rugged rock bound shore
Dash high upon the cliffs, then falling back,
Rush again with loud and angry roar,
Such the shock. when the rebellious ranks
Encountered those who came at Freedoms call.
Scoring the thought of aught save victory,
They fight and like the autumn leaves they fall.
Forward and back the tide OF conflict sways,
With varying fortune for a while; and then
IL ri o.n, NJ. r,,,.,,, Nor
men,
, And then from every valley, hill and plain,
To cheer the hearts OF those who went before
The answer came stand hrm Tor GOD and right
'''' ,'''''''
Battles disease ana hardShip thln 'heir ranks
Co,nes bacl, Tho cali w. frs.,nsn Of The North,
,