Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-07-03
AT GETTYSBURG

This is the field of Gettysburg; the
sccna
Is one Of plain and hulocLs pluo-
piled in green
And notified with the marbles rlis-
ed to tell
That here the thousands stood, the
thousands fell
quiet the landscape lies today. under
the summer sun
Here let us pause space, and
dream of deeds long done.
Dream, not dccmim the battle,
speech grows pale
Before the mighty memory, and art
must fail
To hint its myriad dreds and dooms
here were they east
Death and dire trial in guise so
That kinsD contests of the storicd
past
Seem shrunk to petty quarrcs Earth
has heard It's fame.
Declaim IT not--say only that its
Became far more than battle, IS a
thought
That now sounds down the years.
with deepest meaning iraught.
A thought triumphant. II it we're
not So,
This were but meadow land. where
idle breezes blow,
But il is sacred soil and not in
vain
Was drenched, in days gone by
with crimson rain.
Nay, 1t was not In vain that here,
day tfter day.
Up the long slope came gallant men
in gcty,
bringing that brilliant flag which
through lts brief wild life
Was ever borne TO glory came
gayly to the strife
And over yonder, where the green.
sward dips,
Went down in long stark lines. with
smiles upon their lips,
And it was not in vain that ON
these knobs
Stood steady men in blue, barring
their breasts and souls
To battle; with their final breath
Pressing TO posts where others
dropped in death.
Asking alone that still above this
sod
Might stay their silken bars, the
symbol of ther God,
Nay, II WAS ncl for naught
1t gave the ages one triumphant
thought.
The thought of brotherhood, for
these were men
Who warred to part were it to war
again
But this ticid 'irst decreed, with fit
ting power,
That parting must not be, and from
that hour
Has GetWsbuIe .aoant brotherhood.
IT was as If there spoke
Some stll small voice amid the bat
tie smoke.
Saying Hush ye and harkcn-l>now
We by this day
Forever must We go together on your
destined way.
Forever g together! But whittier lies
the way
Has all Lecn plain before us since
sunset of that day?
Is brotherhood complete when on
this spot
Men meet, clasp hands and call the
past forgot?
Or does It daily greater grow in
scope,
Bringing new hands to clasp, new
tasks with which to cope?
A race was bought for freedom by
this ncld
How fares that race today-haye
all its hurts been healed?
In buoyant strength we stride beyond
the seas
To rule new peoples-deal we well
with these?
Wealth. we grow and noted; proud
of our powerful state;
How do We by the lowly folk whose
toll has made us great?
These are our tasks today; well might
men quail
Before them. but should we seem to
fail
Blind % their meaning, careless
whence they tend.
or, losing hope, uncertain Of their
end.
Let MS again come hther, where our
sires
Burned out our former doubts in sac
rfici1l fires.
Come nlihcr and gain courage: find |
frcshor hith,
How learn our way. then undismay-
ed By wrath
IF failure. no lpnger weak nor blind. |
80 forward toward a brotherhood to !
no one class confined.
tnboundad hy The ocean, broad as all |
mankind.
Fair is. indeed, the prospect, whom |
the sun
In gold this field Of deeds /.
long done.
But who would wish Idly TO lie and I
dream the whole day through?
Well may we go; work waits for us |
to d.
Herbert Augustus Crowell.
nnnnTrn nm IlnrUrII