Page:The college beautiful, and other poems.djvu/48

Ah, but one country, — God's blessing upon her! —
Ah, but one only is precious to me ;
Dear for her mountains, rock-based, cloudy- crested,
Hooded with snow 'mid the ardors of June,
— Haunts where the bald-headed eagle has nested,
Staring full hard on his neighbor, the moon ;
Dear for her vineyards and jessamine gardens,
Forests of fir-trees and sugar-cane brakes ;
Dear for her oceans, her twin gray wardens,
Dear for her girdle of sapphire lakes ;
Dear for her southwind the prairie that crosses,
Rippling the wheat like a sunshiny sea ;
Nay, I could kiss but the least of her mosses,
All for the love of mine own countrie.

Veins of fine gold and ribs of strong iron,
Coal-hoards of centuries, fair-fruited trees,
Jewels that gleam like the bulwarks of Zion, —
Least of her wealth may be counted in these.
Richer she deemeth the hearts she inherits
Strung by those valorous pilgrims of God,
Who wrested their bread from the rock, till their spirits
Hardened to mate with the granite they trod.
Peace to the homespun, the heroes who wore it,
Whose patriot passion in stormy career