A Letter from Newport

The crimson leafage fires the lawn,
The pil'd hydrangeas blazing glow;
How blue the vault of breezy dawn
Illumes the Atlantic's crested snow!
'Twixt sea and sands how fair to ride
Through whispering airs a starlit way,
And watch those flashing towers divide
Heaven's darkness from the darkling bay!

Ah, friend, how vain their pedant's part,
Their hurrying toils how idly spent,
How have they wrong'd the gentler heart
Which thrills the awakening continent,
Who have not learnt on this bright shore
What sweetness issues from the strong,
Where flowerless forest, cataract-roar,
Have found a blossom and a song!

Ah, what imperial force of fate
Links our one race in high emprize!
Nor aught henceforth can separate
Those glories mingling as they rise;
For one in heart, as one in speech,
At last have Child and Mother grown, —
Fair Figures! honoring each in each
A beauty kindred with her own.

Through English eyes more calmly soft
Looks from gray deeps the appealing charm;
Reddens on English cheeks more oft
The rose of innocent alarm; —
Our old-world heart more gravely feels,
Has learnt more force, more self-control;
For us through sterner music peals
The full accord of soul and soul.

But ah, the life, the smile untaught,
The floating presence feathery-fair!
The eyes and aspect that have caught
The brilliance of Columbian air!
No oriole through the forest flits
More sheeny-plum'd, more gay and free;
On no nymph's marble forehead sits
Proudlier a glad virginity.

So once the Egyptian, gravely bold,
Wander'd the Ionian folk among,
Heard from their high Letoon roll'd
That song the Delian maidens sung;
Danced in his eyes the dazzling gold,
For with his voice the tears had sprung, —
"They die not, these! they wax not old,
They are ever-living, ever-young!"

Spread then, great land! thine arms afar,
Thy golden harvest westward roll;
Banner with banner, star with star,
Ally the tropics and the pole; —
There glows no gem than these more bright
From ice to fire, from sea to sea;
Blossoms no fairer flower to light
Through all thine endless empery.