Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE DELAWARE, by OLIVER CRANE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DELAWARE, by                    
First Line: Hail! Thou prince of noble rivers
Last Line: Ever safely on thy tide.
Subject(s): Delaware (river)


Hail! thou prince of noble rivers,
On whose lofty bank I stand,
Listening, as each leaflet quivers
Trilled by evening zephyrs bland --
Listening, while I gazing muse
On thy landscape's sun-lit views.

Onward trending to the ocean
Glide the sport of many an oar,
Till thy gently rippling motion
Heaves in breakers on its shore --
Till thy waters, mingling there,
Cease to own thee, Delaware.

Once the Indian forest-ranger
Launched on thee his birch-canoe,
And, unawed by foe or danger,
O'er thy crested ripples flew;
But no more the red-man rows
Where thy gurgling current flows.

Once the chief of chieftains chosen,
Anxious on thy margin stood,
Gazing on thee, dark and frozen,
On thy icy-rolling flood --
Gazing, while his shivering bands
Wait unshrinking his commands.

Winter's storm and night appalling,
Fill with double dread thy waves;
He, though fierce the sleet is falling,
Cheers them onward, cheers his braves;
Yes, undaunted he has there
Bid them cross thee, Delaware.

Cold and dark thy sullen waters
Roll around his dauntless few,
Whilst their Chieftain, nerved to slaughters,
Leads them boldly, leads them through --
Leads, and with the morning sun,
Conquest crowns our Washington!

On our eagle's bannered pinions
Wide is borne the victor's fame,
Till, through freedom's owned dominions,
All have echoed back his name;
Till the flag that morn unfurled,
Signaled freedom to the world!

Hail again, thou classic river,
Hail for scenes of other days,
When the might of freedom's Giver
Crowned our arms with fadeless bays --
Crowned, and while those wreaths are there,
Thou art honored, Delaware.

Freighted with the wealth of nations,
Borne to thee from distant climes,
May thy banks, the consternations
Know no more of early times;
But may fleets of commerce glide
Ever safely on thy tide.





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