The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-24
MISS EDNA KENT'S POEM.
It Was Read at the High School Com
meucent Exercises.

It Was Read at the High School Com
mencent Exercises.
The class poem, Launching" which
was read by Miss Edna Kent, at the
high school commencement exercises in
the rockingham Friday night, was most
favorably commented upon by all who
heard it. Below 1t Is given entire:
Schoolmates of youth, we must pause in
our flight.
We stand where lfe's brooklet and river
unite
Oarless behind, with their voyages done,
Our shattered canoes float about in tho
Vast Is the stream that rolls wavering be-
The staunch ship alone must go from It's
shore.
They only can weather the futures dark
gale
Who boldly steer onward with well man.
aged sail.
Schoolmates of youth, we are launching
today.
Stand firm as we break from the anchor
away.
Fairy like rill, flowing into the past,
The bright glistening waters have hur-
rled so fast.
As over Times cataract your current you
We turn half reluctant to view thee once
more.
Der moss and through sunshine your
cruise you have wound
While on the deep river dark shadows
abound.
The rainbows of childhood now rests on
thy bed.
But the cloud Of uncertainty hovers
Rivulet clear, In thy echoing song.
With shades of dead joy thou dost memory
throng.
Waves of llfes stream, flushed with
Primes ruddy glow,
What Is your mission; why murmur ye so?
Tell ere we launch on your tremulous
tide,
Why swell ye so grandly as onward ye
VIII kind fate permit us all happy and
gay,
To skim DER the surging pillows away;
Or shall we float seaward with low-hang-
ing mast
Struggling and weary and torn by the
blast?
Waves of lifes river, with echoing roll
Answer and tell us, where is the goal?
Rills from the brook, though from distant
springs led,
Long we have flowed in the same messy
bed,
But it cannot be thus with the torrents
wild sprays,
OFT branching, its waters will turn di-
vers ways.
Coma will tpr, 70 lands dict nj
and strange,
BY storms all unrufiled unharmed by the
change;
Some will lead to regions not far from the
shore,
Content with the scenes that surrounded
of yOre.
oh, rills ere ye join great Futurity's sea,
Can you foretell where our harbors will
be?
Here we must part on the fleet stream of
Alone to encounter life's hopes and its
fears.
Do not expect on it's ebb and its flow
AS smoothly as on the calm brooklet to
row.
Strong we must bend to the wintry blasts
And for the weather hew out our masts.
ic IL ilItSt VI NeSStio oii tttiili "hNSo aiS
borne,
But the well-manned ones only the wild
winds may scorn.
Courage and hope and undaurted will
Many a moment with sunshine may fill.
But grieve not, dear classmates, we'll meet
once more;
Ere long this voyage begun will be DER.
When June's varied blossoms have faded
away
And dreary December has darkened each
day;
When lifes glowing embers lie blacllened
and dead
And all its fond hopes forever have fed:
Then, as far countries, which barriers di-
vide,
Swell with their waters the same ocean
tide;
So life's flowing river approaching the
end.
At length in Eternity's waters will blend.
Source of the brooklet, the river. the sea,
Ever We'll center our course unto Thee.
Though trackless and dreary earth's wa
ters may seem.
Thy beacon will brighten all shoals with
its gleam.
Though threatening the tempests may
thunder and roll
We trust to Thy mercy to reach safe
goal.
Turn our swift rudders away from the
strand
And guide us unharmed by Thy loving
hand.
Then harbored at rest in Thy love ever
more,
Anchor our vessels on Heavens fair
shore.