Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-05-02
MANY CONNECTICUT FRIENDS.

The Poem by W. A. Croaat at the
Worlds Fair Opening Yesterday.
E The poem for the opening of the worlds
fair yesterday, given below, is from the
facile and gifted pen of W. A. Crofut,
who founded the Danbury, Conn, Jeffer-
sonian, and whose home was at one time
during the war in this city.
THE PROPHECY.
Sadly Columbus watched the naseent moon.
Drown in tho gloomy oceans western deeps.
Strange birds that day had huttered in tho
And strange flowers aoated round the wander
And Yet no land And now. when through the
And angry pillows tossed the csravels
As to destruction, Gomez Rascon came
With Captain Pinzon through the frenzied seas
And to the admiral brought parchment
Saying: "Good Master: Read this writing
An earnest prayer it is from all on beard,
The crew would fain turn back in utter fear
Int fhs Zenith the
Drop dead on deck beneath the flying scud.
Into the land of Nowhere, and the sea
Keeps sucking US adswn the mslstron's
Francisco says the edge Of earth is near,
And of to Erebus we slide unhelmed.
Last Sunday night Diego saw witch
Dragging the Nina by her fOrechains west,
And wildly dancing on a dolphin's back,
And as she danced, the brightest star in
| Slipped from its leash and sprang Into the sea
Like Lucifer, and left trail of blood.
| pray thee master, turn again to Spain, obedi-
The terror-stricken crew to escape their doom,
May mutiuy and --
L "aomez Rascon, peace"
Exclaimed the admiral; 'Thou hast said
enough.
Now pritnee leave me; would be alone"
Then eagerly Columbus sought sign,
| In sea and sky and in his lonely heart,
| Finding, instead of presagss Of hope,
| The black and emfnous portents of despair.
AS thus he unused he paced the after-deck
And gazed upon the luminous waves astern.
And through the goblin glow there came ant
/ went,
Like elm shadows on an opal sea,
| Prophetic pictures Of the land he sought.
He saw the end Of his victorious quest,
He saw a blaze on Isabella's breast,
/ A string of antillean jewels rest
The islands of the west.
He saw invading plenty dispossess
Old poverty, the land with bounty bless,
And through the wretched caverns OF dis
1 tr6ES,
Walk star-eyed happiness
He saw the bourbon and braganza prone,
/ For ancient error tardy to atone,
L Giving the plundered people back their own,
| And flying from the throne.
He saw an empire, radiant as the day,
Harnessed to law, but under freedoms sway,
/ Proudly arise, Respondent in array,
To show the world the way.
He saw celestial peace In mortal guise.
And, filed with hope and thrilled with high sur
| prise,
He saw, beyond the hills Of golden corn
Beyond the curve of autumns opulen
Ceres and Flora laughingly adorn,
| The bosom of the morn.
/ He saw cloth of gold across the gloom,
| An arabes que from eyolutions loom,
| And from the barren prairies, driving spume,
| Imperial cities bloom.
He saw an iron dragon dashing forth along a
North, East, west-uniting in benefcen
girth
Remotest ends of earth.
| He saw the lightning run an elfin race,
| Where trade, love. grief and pleasure interlace
And absent ones annihilate time and space,
| CommuniDg face to face.
He saw relief through deadly dungeon
Foes turned to brothers, black despair t
hope,
And cannon rust upon the grass grown slope,
| And rot the gallows rope.
| He saw the babes on labor's cottage floor;
Tho bright walls hung with luxury more an
And comfort radiant with abounding store,
Wave welcome to the door.
. | He saw the myriad spndles 1utter round;
| The myriad homes whore jocund joy is found
And love is throned and crowned
| He saw exalted ignorance under ban,
| Though panoplied in force since time began,
9 / And science consecrated, lead the van,
The providence of man.
The picture came and p.led and passed away.
q And then he said to Pinzon in the gloom,
"Now. Martin, to thy waiting helm again.
| Haste to the Pinta; westward keep her PROV,
. For have had a vision full of light.
: Keep her PROV westward in the sunset
wake,
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