Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Asia: Vols. XXI–XXIII. 1876–79. | | | | Syria: Galilee | | Galilee | | Nicholas Michell (1807–1880) |
| | (From Ruins of Many Lands)
BUT now in beauty and in light we see | |
| The hills and vales of far-famed Galilee. | |
| Though man may walk no more, as in old time, | |
| With step of freedom, and with brow sublime; | |
| Though on the Jew the Moslem pours disdain, | 5 |
| And thinks him less than reptile of the plain; | |
| Though Rapine, mocking law, may prowl the land, | |
| And Murder daily rear her blood-stained hand,— | |
| Still Nature smiles, and Galilee appears | |
| Fair as a bride, although a bride in tears. | 10 |
| In Jezreel’s vale the corn is waving deep, | |
| Fir, larch, and myrtle grace high Tabor’s steep; | |
| In warm Sepphoris’ beds the tulip’s streak | |
| Rivals red Morn when soft her blushes break; | |
| Ten thousand pansies breathe their odorous breath, | 15 |
| And orchards bloom round holy Nazareth; | |
| While birds with song, as cooler eve comes on, | |
| Fill the green groves of bowery Zebulon. | | | | |
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