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Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 1/Pioneers of the Pacific

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For other versions of this work, see Pioneers of the Pacific.

Excerpts from the full poem.

2398771Oregon Historical Quarterly, Volume 1 — Pioneers of the Pacific1900Joaquin Miller

PIONEERS OF THE PACIFIC.

by joaquin miller.

***

The wild man's yell, the groaning wheel, The train moved like drifting barge; The dust rose up like a cloud, Like smoke of distant battle loud! Loud The great whips rang like shot, and steel Flashed back as in some battle charge.
They sought, yea, they did find their rest Along that long and lonesome way, Those brave men buffeting the West With lifted faces. Full they were Of great endeavor.
***
When Adown the shining iron track We sweep, and fields of corn flash back, And herds of lowing steers move by, I turn to other days, to men Who made a pathway with their dust.