Nature

Up With the Dawn

by Thomas Elliott born 1820; living 1855–57

From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, vol. 6 (1855–57)

Nature

Up with the dawn, ye sons of toil,
And bare the brawny arm,
To drive the harness'd team afield,
And till the fruitful farm;
To dig the mine for hidden wealth,
Or make the woods to ring
With swinging axe and sturdy stroke,
To fell the forest king.

With ocean car and iron steed
Traverse the land and sea,
And spread our commerce round the globe
As winds that wander free.
Subdue the earth, and conquer fate,
Outspeed the flight of time;
Old earth is rich, and man is young,
Nor near his jocund prime.

Work, and the clouds of care will fly,
Pale want will pass away;
Work, and the leprosy of crime
And tyrants must decay.
Leave the dead ages in their urns;
The present time be ours,
To grapple bravely with our lot,
And strew our path with flowers.

MLA

Elliott, Thomas. “Up With the Dawn.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/elliott_t/0/.

Chicago

Elliott, Thomas. “Up With the Dawn.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/elliott_t/0/.

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