The Project Gutenberg EBook of Niagara, and Other Poems, by Benjamin Copeland This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license Title: Niagara, and Other Poems Author: Benjamin Copeland Release Date: July 12, 2017 [EBook #55105] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NIAGARA, AND OTHER POEMS *** Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Elizabeth Oscanyan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) NIAGARA, AND OTHER POEMS Niagara, and Other Poems By Benjamin Copeland Buffalo and N ew York: The Matthews- N orthrup Works 1904 C opyright, 1904, By Benjamin C opeland CONTENTS. Niagara 11 The Meadow Air is Sweet 13 When Life Was Like a Sunny Stream 15 The First Robin 18 The Goal 20 The Reward 21 Strength and Beauty 22 Violet, Rose, and Golden Rod 23 October 25 The Window Over the Stable-Door 27 “Hail to the Chief!” (President McKinley) 30 Cuba Libre 32 The Greater Republic 34 Emerson 36 Daniel Webster 39 Lincoln 40 Agassiz—Emerson 40 Welcome 41 Fame 43 Defeated 44 Fidelity 45 Transfigured! 46 Betrayed 47 Sunset 48 Fulfillment 49 Contentment 49 Companionship 50 Aspiration and Attainment 51 A Question or Two 53 Other Sheep 55 By Many Paths 57 Poor Little Joe! 58 Dark, and Days 59 Experience 59 A Sure Foundation 60 The Voyage 60 The Stonecroft 61 Progress 62 A Benediction 62 Love and Truth 63 Beauty 64 Heart of Love 64 The Coronation 65 Discipleship 65 The Greater Deep 66 Faith 66 The Gift 66 Sonship 67 Reality 67 Infinity 67 Unanswered 68 Self-Sentenced 69 A Royal Priesthood 70 Inspiration 70 Unconscious Influence 71 Hold Fast This Truth 71 Gloria In Excelsis! 72 A Contrast 72 Crowned! 73 The Measure 73 Humility 74 Entreaty 74 At Last! 75 Forgive Us, Lord! 75 Assurance 76 The Little Ones 77 Little Ruth 79 Little Theodore 81 Where There Is No More Pain 83 The Easter Answer 85 Communion 87 St. Augustine 88 Bethel 90 An Idyl of The Spiritual Life 94 Opportunity 95 Let In The Light! 96 The Law of Love 98 Supplication 99 Our Life is Lent 100 Lenten Lessons 102 Remember! 103 The Reckoning 104 The Font, the Alter, and the Tomb 105 The Eventide 107 The Larger Life 108 A Prayer 109 The Message 110 As Thou Wilt 111 We Would Sing the Story! 112 Christmas 115 “As He Is.” 117 Passion-Tide 118 In Brotherhood With All 119 Code and Creed 120 Easter-Tide 121 Easter Lilies 123 Easter-Tide Adoration 124 The King 125 An Easter-Tide Lyric 126 An Easter Idyl 127 Ascension-Tide 128 Homeward 130 Christus Consolator 131 Compensation 132 From Morning To Morning! 133 NIAGARA. Majestic symbol of eternal power! Dread oracle of eons all unknown! Before thy presence Pomp and Passion cower,— All men are equal at thy awful throne. Abashed, the eager babble of the mart,— To silence shamed, the vulgar greed for gain; No more ambition goads the weary heart, And Toil forgets its unrequited pain. Stern type of Truth’s inexorable law! No room remains for envy or for pride; Here prince and pauper stand in common awe, Swayed by the spell of thy resistless tide. A rushing, seething Sinai,—thou dost pour On sluggish consciences the solemn sense Of justice infinite:—thy thunder’s roar Declares to Wrong relentless recompense. Against our arrogance thy strength doth plead; Deep unto deep imperiously calls; Impartial annalist! the nations read Their transient glory on thy ageless walls. Yet dost thou deign to dower the moment’s need,— Our dreams exceeding by thy bounteous sway; With power unrivaled thy proud flood shall speed The New World’s progress toward Time’s perfect day. O mighty monitor! O seer sublime! The soul’s surpassing grandeur thou dost show;— The fountains of thy immemorial prime Through man’s immortal being freely flow. 11 12 THE MEADOW AIR IS SWEET. The meadow air is sweet;— The cowslip’s cup of gold Is full of fresh and fragrant dew,— More full than it can hold. The meadow air is sweet;— The blackbird’s mellow note, Like water in a little brook, Flows gurgling from his throat. The meadow air is sweet;— The stream that cheers the lea Will feel the willow’s tender kiss, E’en to the distant sea. The meadow air is sweet;— Hark! from the old elm tree:— Ah! only lovers understand The oriole’s ecstasy. The meadow air is sweet;— The clover, handsome-white, With dainty odors woos the bee, And fills her with delight. The meadow air is sweet;— The bobolink is there! When he is mute a faery flute Seems echoing in the air. The meadow air is sweet;— The daisy in the grass Looks up to see the clouds, and feel Their shadow as they pass. The meadow air is sweet;— The swallow flashes by, Too merry for a moment’s rest Between the earth and sky. The meadow air is sweet;— The day wanes in the west, And twilight’s soothing shadows lull A weary world to rest. The meadow air is sweet;— Like altar incense rare, It blends the robin’s even-song With the little children’s prayer. 13 14 WHEN LIFE WAS LIKE A SUNNY STREAM. Alas! it seemeth but a dream,— My childhood’s bright, bright day, When life was like a sunny stream Left to its own glad way. How wonderful the radiant Spring, In garden, glade, and wood! Fresh from God’s hand seemed everything, "And everything was good!" Close by the door, the apple tree, From many a fruitful bough, Its richest blossoms spread for me;— I feel their fragrance now! The robin and the oriole, (I loved them both the same), Their sweetest songs to me did troll,— I think they knew my name! A little brook, from hidden spring, Ran babbling down the hill; It seemed to me a living thing,— I hear its laughter still! Ah! ours was bliss without alloy, And friendship fondly leal;— I brought it human love and joy,— It turned my water-wheel! And, tired of play, what peace I found, As the bright clouds sailed by, Just to lie down upon the ground And look into the sky! Deep, deep, that look of calm delight, So free from care and pain;— Would God I might its holy height, Its sweet repose, regain! The meadow, and the old elm tree, The woods, the waterfall,— Once more they all come back to me; I see and hear them, all. I see and hear them, and rejoice; For forms and faces dear, Lost long, long since to sight and voice, Once more to me appear. And hark! a little child again,— I hear, with heart abrim, That tender, ravishing refrain,— The redbreast’s evening hymn! So God be praised for that sweet dream, My childhood’s bright, bright day,— When life was like a sunny stream Left to its own glad way. 15 16 17 THE FIRST ROBIN. Herald of the happy year, Robin redbreast, art thou here? Welcome to thy destined goal; Welcome, songster of the soul! Age and Childhood find, in thee, Kindred bond of sympathy; Hope and memory are one, In thy song’s sweet unison. Common freehold all hearts claim In thy nature’s artless aim; Best of priests and poets, thou, Singing on the leafless bough. Mead and mountain, wood and wold, Wait the rapture manifold, Which shall prove thee saint and seer,— Dearest minstrel of the year! Every note like April rain,— Thou transmutest, in thy strain, With the season’s subtle power, Winter’s dearth to summer’s dower. Glows the mold with vernal fire Kindled by thy love’s desire; Nature wakens, at thy call, To her Easter festival. Mateless messenger divine! Peerless privilege is thine:— Thou interpretest to Faith The deep mystery of death. 18 19 THE GOAL. Sweet scents, sweet sounds, sweet scenes! With all that intervenes In sweeter solemn silences profound,— Whereinto overflows, In forest, river, rose, Passionless being, beauty without bound. How deep the mind’s repose! The vagrant sea-breeze blows With kindred pulses through the fragrant shade; And sod and soul are blent In blest enfranchisement,— Prefiguring the end for all things made. For life and love, supreme Beyond the poet’s dream, Shall bear all being to its blissful goal; The wondrous word is true— "Lo! I make all things new;" The universe is ransomed with the soul! 20