The National tribune., 1908-07-09
THE GROWN OF LIFE.
Poem Read at the Soldiers Home, WASH
fngton, ID. C., on Memorial Day.

Poem Read at the Soldiers Home, WASH
fngton, ID. C., on Memorial Day.
When the beautiful amusement build
ing now called Stanley Hall. at the
Soldiers Home, was dedicated several
years ago. DR.. Thomas Calver was in
vited by Gen. Stanley. then Governor of
the Home, to deliver the dedication ode,
and at the close of his poem the Com
mander of Henry Wilson Post, G. A. r..
located at the Home and composed en-
tirely of Regular Army soldiers, offered
motion that DIR. Calver be elected an
honorary member of that Post and the
poet laureate of the Post and the Sol
diers' Home, and be requested to deliver
poem each year at the memorial ex-
ercises at Soldiers Home, National
Cemetery, on Memorial Day The mo-
ton was unanimously carried by a ris-
ing vote of the crowded audience.
The recipient of this honor. of course
accepted it with thanks. and promised
Soldiers Home
The following is the poem delivered
last Memorial Day, and is an apotheosis
of the American soldier:
The Crown of Life.
Oh. Lifei What is it that thou hast to
give us,
That we should cling tenaciousIy to
theeo
Why should we envy those who may
outliYe us,
And find our strongest wish the wish
to be-?
LIES notified floor is eyermore alIur-
With its alternate fiecks of light and
shade;
Nor do we think, when pains we are en-
during.
'Twere better If beyond its pale we
strayed
Our hopes may sadly march in line be-
fore us,
AS ghosts of what had not the life to
And griefs that thru the Filter waters
bore us
Come back to us across the murky
past;
Perhaps for roses plucked the thorns
have torn us;
Perhaps each sunny ray was lost in
shade:
And all the joys that up to Heaven have
borne us,
Perhaps have fallen and in earth are
laid.
Altho we know that living means more
sorrow.
As ever faster dear ones pass away;
Yet tho each day we fear q dark to-
morrow,
For that tomorrow would we gladly
stay.
We may not know what is the wish in
spring
That we may long remain in mortal
life,
Endure its grief and share it's toll, I'M
firing
And ever ready for its constant strife.
Yet that ambition, permeates our being
And ever rules us, from our infant |
days.
And in the skies above we're ever see
Grand palaces the future IS to raise, |
And what may be the weIl7spring. of
this clinging
To search for sprites that eyerfr1 ore
elude,
To siren hopes that wrecks for us are
bringing,
To smiling fays that strike with hand
so rude?
1t is the fond hope in our souls i'm
planted
That we, ere from this life we pass
away.
May see fulflment of ambition granted
That we may blaze the path thru
which we stray;
That we may marks and warnings leave |
behind US.
To help the lives of those who follow
And see our tracks, while pressing on
to find us.
With blessings on our names when
we are gone!
This is the crowning of all living
To leave a name that shall with honor
shine;
70 win the fame of generously giving
A life for others, with a love divine.
Ill other fruit of life is but a cinder
That falls to ashes at Times highest !
blow;
Wealth, station, power, may be but
clogs that hinder l.
The rise to nights of an immortal
glow! Is
The soldier true wards harm and i'll
from others
And faces death. himself to meet all !
blows. Is
lie shows he loves his felIowmen as
brothers,
And wins the honor even of his foes
% risk his life for others is his glory |,
A glory that shall e'er illume his
name,
md when the record tells his noble
story
Shall place it high upon the scroll of
famei