Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
America: Vols. XXV–XXIX. 1876–79. | | | | New England: Cummington, Mass. | | Bryant’s Birthplace | | Charlotte Fiske Bates (1838–1916) |
| | | AMID these haunts a poet’s boyhood drew | |
| The inspiring breath of Nature and of God; | |
| On his young vision broke divinely true, | |
| While through these very woodland ways he trod, | |
| That view of death that soothes the spirit so, | 5 |
| That perfect work of life’s imperfect age; | |
| In this doth Genius clearly, grandly show | |
| How soon her own may claim their heritage. | |
| Here myriad thought-tones swept his being through, | |
| Which, linked and blended in some after time | 10 |
| Midst the world’s noise, to finished music grew, | |
| Rolling forth chords, now tender, now sublime. | |
| Here the fringed gentian of the poet blows; | |
| Yielding dim odor, yellow violets still | |
| Jewel Spring’s naked bosom till it glows, | 15 |
| While yet the air holds fast its wintry chill. | |
| Nature, as grateful for her true son’s love, | |
| At his return seems pouring out her joy; | |
| Shows him new blossoms in some leafy cove, | |
| Yet shares with him far memories of the boy; | 20 |
| And here the laurelled poet loves to come, | |
| And finds his soul, despite the years, at home. | | | | |
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