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(Excerpt) NOT vainly Homer saw it in a dream, | |
Circling the world and bounding continents; | |
Our shore is girdled by an Ocean Stream, | |
Which nearest to the Vineyard Sound indents. | |
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There fringing the azure deep are happy isles, | 5 |
Which swim in warmth of Equatorial seas, | |
And gladden in the gracious Summers smiles, | |
The smallest, nearest us is Penikese. | |
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A string of pearls they lie on Oceans breast, | |
Steeped in a languor brought them from afar, | 10 |
And drowse through summer days in silent rest, | |
Kissed by mild waves and loved of moon and star. | |
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Once the shy Indian saw his shadow shake | |
Across the wave, as he withdrew his spear | |
From the struck bass, or heard within the brake | 15 |
The tender grass torn by the feeding deer. | |
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Those dumb, waste centuries of loss are oer, | |
A better, nobler day to them succeeds: | |
Now Science rears her watch-tower by the shore, | |
Round it are scholars whom a teacher leads. | 20 |
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The light within the watch-tower is his mind, | |
Cosmic, with forms of life which end in man; | |
There all the tribes their place in order find, | |
As if he read the thought of Gods own plan. * * * * * | |
Oh! happy ones who read the book of life, | 25 |
Till ye through him in wisdom daily grow, | |
To find how far above Earths barren strife | |
Is the souls hungertoil divineto know. | |
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What pastoral lives of true simplicity! | |
Plain living and high thinking, with the bond | 30 |
Between them of a lofty sympathy, | |
Whose circlet rings this world and worlds beyond. | |
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Hail! generous heart which gave its home of years! | |
Hail, too, ye youth who lean on such a guide! | |
Long may the shrine which now glad Science rears | 35 |
Shine like a load-star oer the waters wide. | |
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