Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1888-05-10
POETR e.
GENERAL .. j. JACKSON

dead
Our prayers were vain; and now our palsied
sense
Knows NOT cur grief to utter Weep, o land
~ hu shall inspire thy threnody, and wed
/ Tiny walls TO numbers mOurnlul as thy breaSp
Invoke no pagan Muse, whose iabled sigh
And painted tear but mimic woe sincere.
Come rather thou, the spirit who dost rest
/ lu truth eternal seat 10 was thine eye
ltlumlued him We mourn; aud thy pure lear
Ills greatness was Thee, then, We call to
teach
! Our paIn ht voice, who dilst thy seer's lament
Attune 10 chant meet dirse for Zion S fall.
'UA tnat our heads were water!' Then might
reach
/ our floods OF tears to the full argument
/ Oi our calamity, as We recall
/ lu contrast black. our hero glorious morn
/ NIla this drcar ui-nt That clouds ltat midday
/ uuJ twice Twelve moons before, Nlcsinll SAID 4:
/ "lutner my sOns, 20 meet the invader scOrn
Iuey deem me withercd IN obscure decay,
/ My bosom dry of that proud milk that led
ty WasAinstons aud Hcnrs . er my head
/ lucy shake tue loJJAed ecoulsc as though To
sway
/ Io slavery THIS soul to freedom born
/ luen Ol her uyridds, railylus 20 her cry,
our mother ; Instinct owned him foremost SON,
Modes, as prompt, with spirit trained ID might
in s,cre, prayer, with BuNard cnva!ry
Oi i,utA orsOUen; with ya.Or won
PROM uod 5 owu strength and trutn serenest
lisni,
sae s.uc hcr banner to his stainies, hand
Iueuce. hAe the dav-stur Dlaled hc Iu her front
Ills sweep the wlAd s. h.s s-roGe the kuell OF
iltc
10 them who dur,t pollute her sacred land.
Onward aud upward, through the war cloud :
lie scared with steady wing, as though to
Iualate
Her dag ll f.eedoms peaceful ctadel.
linen. midst his loitlest flight our eagle fell!
luAL We were iull "a with hIu we learned too
late
Yea. bow, o Lee. in grief that kinsly front
10 which all others bent; aud weep thou drops
such as were shed by Israel warrOr KING
fur Jonathan the mighty slain.
For NON from thy ugat side disaster iols
/ The arm winch won't Thy victories 10 bring
Audcould thy grandesl purposes cXpiaiu
/ lu erandcr deeds Yea, weep t-ou, hO4ry chlel
Tor with ais parting sOuI success hath flown,
lo come no more. Not thut tiny worth Is less,
/ Or pdtriot-wlli TO win thy land relief;
/ Nor all thy heroes with their pattern gone.
StIl shall We toll and die; but iull success
Nu more stall crown these tolls, staunch rs ms
own
/ Stiil shall your gallant struggles honor save.
/ Losing ali else. And weep, ye rugged hosts
/ Who laughed IN battle deadlock he mas gone
/ Whose shout, worth fresh battahOns, "On, ye
braye!'
( Inspired your charge Weep too, ye martial
ghosts,
/ Who, parting from your bleeding Gesh were
glad
/ That he still battlci to a,ensc your fall.
/ For none remain tnat ven seJnce TO demand,
B Until the heavenly court decree be had.
/ l3ut chicicst thou, Virginia. round thee call
/ ihy mourning women drape thy widowed
land
/ In blackc.t weeds. and let thy oyes be wells
. OF bitter waters. Yea, and thou didst mourn
Twice dIdst thou bury him Thy maids with
flowers
lhy elders with his mother-earih Thy bells
With dismal stroke and cannous believing
Measured Thy funeral step, as all thy powers
Uuroued their gloomy ranks.
But hadst thou seen with his presaging eye,
How much was lost with uIn hadst broke
the seal
OF fate ior thy succeeding years, and read
As Ac had read. that tiny best sons should de,
yet win 40 rescue for the common veal
Br thy rich blood as vain, as freely shed
How con0uer0.5, ruthless IN their pride oi
power
Should trample thy fair neck, whose qoesnly
Found rishtul place upon the opprcssors
Caauin., and malice rule the dismal hour
oil thine eclipse. and fraud and force uproot
Zach right implanted by thy fathers dead;
How doltish serls and alien thieves should foul
Tiny seats OF power, once By thy sases srdced
Nhile all thy nOblest, fairest, wlsest sank
nwaut obscure houn, ed by slanderOus howl
And worst. how some, thy Suns, whom thou
had,t placed
'Ncath thy Tree banner, in the honored rank
D I... D. frI.t q