Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MARY, MOTHER OF WASHINGTON, by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR Poet's Biography First Line: Children of fair saint botolph's town Last Line: Mary, mother of washington! Alternate Author Name(s): Dean Subject(s): Presidents, United States; Washington, George (1732-1799); Washinton, Mary Ball | ||||||||
CHILDREN of fair Saint Botolph's town, Boston, set by the northern sea, Listen! Where warmer skies look down On Fredericksburg with its sad renown, And Rappahannock broad and brown, In a lonely grave by the grassy lea Has slept, while a hundred years have run, Mary, Mother of Washington. Sacred her slumber! dust so dear So close to the nation's heart the shrine When battle raged in that awful year, And shot and shell flew far and near, 'Fire away from the sleeper here!' Rang all along the serried line; And for her was peace, disturbed by none Mary, Mother of Washington. Alas, alas! that hallowed place, Long marked alone by a cedar tree, Shows now but crumbling stones whose face Bears not even the faintest trace Of the name of her God granted grace To give us him who made us free! Yet deathless she with her deathless son Mary, Mother of Washington. And shall we leave the dew and the rain To deck the spot where her ashes lie, With the creeping grass and the flowery train That to wreathe the mound with bloom are fain, While the west wind sings a mournful strain, And the birds, lamenting, warble nigh? Nay! for her honor our hearts are one! Let us crown her grave, the river by, With a column to stand eternally And say to earth, and to star and sun: Mary, Mother of Washington! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SA-CA-GA-WE-A; THE INDIAN GIRL WHO GUIDED LEWIS AND CLARK by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE [MAY 24, 1883] by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR THE LOST WAR-SLOOP by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR TO MOSCOW by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR A CRIMSON CLOVER by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR A HERO OF CARACAS by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR A MECCAN PROPHECY by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR A SEA-BIRD; OFF PERU by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR |
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