The Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Poems, by Henry Rutgers Conger 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: Two Poems Class Day Poem; The Purple Hills Author: Henry Rutgers Conger Release Date: March 15, 2016 [EBook #51466] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO POEMS *** Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) TWO POEMS book cover Two Poems H CLASS DAY POEM THE PURPLE HILLS By HENRY RUTGERS CONGER WILLIAMSTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS PRINTED FOR THE CLASS OF EIGHTEEN NINETY-NINE OF WILLIAMS COLLEGE MCMXXI ENRY RUTGERS CONGER, Poet of the Class of Eighteen Ninety-Nine of Williams College, died at his home in Fanwood, New Jersey, on Friday the eighteenth of June, Nineteen Hundred and Twenty, while his Class was holding its Reunion in Williamstown, Massachusetts. These two poems, written by him while an undergraduate in Williams College, are now printed by his Class as a loving tribute to his memory. CLASS DAY POEM I In the hush of the early summer, ’Neath the smile of the soft June sky, We, who have lived together, Gather to say good-by. And now, with our labor ended, And the hours we may linger few, We kneel for our mother’s blessing, As is our right to do. Stately and tall is our mother, Tender and strong and wise; With the light of infinite knowledge In the depths of her steadfast eyes. And as we kneel before her, Her voice rings clear and slow, As she speaks the words of the blessing That she gives to her sons, ere they go. II “Sons of my four years’ nurture, Ye who have eaten my bread, Pause ere you take the journey Down the wide roads ahead! Listen! that I may tell you In simple speech and plain, How from the debt that ye owe me Ye may quit yourselves again! The wisdom of generations I have spread for your delight; And the truths that men have died for Ye may claim as your simple right. Heirs of the hoarding ages, How use ye your legacy? Masters of many talents Render account to me. III “Are ye puffed with the pride of learning? Are ye pleased with the praise of fools? Have your minds grown cramped and narrow With the lore that ye learned in schools? Has your knowledge made you slothful, And your culture made you vain, That ye think to gain without labor What another must toil to gain? Then are your years here wasted As pearls that are cast to swine! Then are ye servants of servants, And no true sons of mine! For they who began behind you Shall pass you in the race; And untaught men shall shame you In the open market-place! IV “From the quiet heart of the mountains Ye must take journey, down To the world, that is ever careless Of the skirts of a scholar’s gown. And the sheltered life of college Ye must leave behind you then, And bear your parts in the battle Where men fight hard with men. There there is naught to help you But your wit and strength of limb, There every man is your master Until you have mastered him. For a great law governs the fighting And all are ruled thereby— ‘He that is strong shall conquer! He that is weak must die!’ V “Therefore, that ye may merit Men’s praise when your heads are gray, Cling to the good ye have gathered From my teaching that ends to-day. Ye have learned many true sayings And many wise maxims heard, For some ye know the reason, And for some ye must take my word. But, though ye forget the others, These two hold firm and clear: The first is—‘He that would win must work,’ The second—‘Thou shalt not fear!’ For the vices of a strong man Are pardoned in the end; But he that is born a coward Hath neither foe nor friend! VI “Be tender, and quick to pity At the sight of another’s wrong, Humble before a weaker, Cringing not to the strong. Paying each service twofold, Nor counting the debt clear then; Keeping your faith with women, Speaking the truth to men. VII “High in the purple mountains, Where the world’s strife cannot come, Ringed by the iron cordon Of the hills that guard my home, I gather my sons about me And teach them at my knee, And when they have learned their lesson, My sons go forth from me. Over the world they wander, In the sunshine and wind and storm, But I sit here in the quiet room And keep the hearthstone warm; Watching and listening and waiting For their footsteps at the door, Till one by one as the years go by My sons come home once more. Then I fling wide the portal And welcome them to the hall, With praise for the strong, and pity For the weak, and love for all. And the welcome that I give them Is reward for those that win; And they who are spent with fighting Find a new strength therein. And when they have told their stories, And rested a little space, They rise, and get them forth again Each man to his own place; To take the task that waits him, And labor to the end, That he may earn a living For wife and child and friend. Careless of sneers and frowning From curs that cringe and shirk, Asking no greater pleasure Than the sight of his finished work. VIII “Ye who to-day must follow Whither your fates shall lead, These are your elder brothers! Prove yourselves of the breed! See that ye count as shameful No work your hands can do; And when ye are spent, come back to me That I may comfort you. Now, through the open portal, Rise and go forth to-day! And a mother’s blessing go with you, To help you on your way.” Williamstown, June 20, 1899. THE PURPLE HILLS Air—“Annie Lisle” Dying echoes fill the valley, Heralding the night, As we gather on the campus In the waning light. In the west the sunset’s crimson All the heaven fills, And its glory rims the edges Of our purple hills. Fast the length’ning shadows gather, Sunset dims to grey, And the calling winds of evening Through the branches play. With the far stars pale above them While day’s tumult stills, Watching us who know and love them, Stand the purple hills. Safe within our little valley From the outer strife, Are enshrined the happy mem’ries Of our college life. And when darker days have found us, ’Mid this old world’s ills; Still our hearts will turn with gladness To our purple hills. Williamstown, 1898. book back cover End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Poems, by Henry Rutgers Conger *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO POEMS *** ***** This file should be named 51466-h.htm or 51466-h.zip ***** This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/4/6/51466/ Produced by Larry B. 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