Henry O'Meara Ballads of America

Decoration
The world is so grand and so inexhaustible that
themes for poems should never be wanting

GOETHE.

ILLUMINED LIBERTY

AT DEDICATION OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, NEW YORK
NOT as a gift inert to stand
    Or alien at this haven view,
But guest in glow of Lafayette's land,
Traversing space his heart-reach spanned -
   An old World's envoy to a New -
 
Not with the blaze that Furies' eyes,
   In France's Night of Terror bore,
But with rays to fuse the Nations' skies -
Genius 0f Freedom radiant rise,
    A halo round our symbolled shore!
 
Point to their course the people's weal,
   Republics charged with Manhood's freight,
Show reefs that social mists conceal -
'Mid rocks of Anarchy reveal
   Each wreck that marks an omened fate.
 
Flash out electric ire to awe
   The foes that low'r on chartered Light,
Dream that our Nation's prophets saw -
Liberty sphered in lucent law,
    In anadem of aureoled Right!
 
Decoration
VETERANS' RALLYING SONG CONTENTS JOHN HARVARD'S MEMORIAL

 

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updated Wednesday, April 19, 2000
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