Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, GARFIELD, by CINCINNATUS HEINE MILLER


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GARFIELD, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: From out of the vast, wide bosomed west
Last Line: To do, and so deserve to rest.
Alternate Author Name(s): Miller, Joaquin
Subject(s): Garfield, James Abram (1831-1881)


"Bear me out of the battle, for lo, I am sorely wounded."

From out of the vast, wide bosomed West,
Where gnarled old maples make array,
Deep scarred from Redmen gone to rest,
Where unnamed heroes hew the way
For worlds to follow in their quest,
Where pipes the quail, where squirrels play
Through tops of trees with nuts for toy,
A boy stood forth clear-eyed and tall,
A timid boy, a bashful boy,
Yet comely as a son of Saul --
A boy all friendless, all unknown,
Yet heir apparent to a throne:

A throne the proudest yet on earth
For him who bears him noblest, best,
And this he won by simple worth,
That boy from out the wooded West.
And now to fall! Pale-browed and prone
He lies in everlasting rest.
The nations clasp the cold, dead hand;
The nations sob aloud at this;
The only dry eyes in the land
Now at the last we know are his;
While she who sends a wreath has won
More conquests than her hosts had done.

Brave heart, farewell. The wheel has run
Full circle, and behold a grave
Beneath thy loved old trees is done.
The druid oaks look up and wave
A solemn beckon back. The brave
Old maples welcome, every one.
Receive him, earth. In center land,
As in the center of each heart,
As in the hollow of God's hand,
The coffin sinks. And we depart
Each on his way, as God deems best
To do, and so deserve to rest.





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