LAST POEMS.
page: [][View Page []] page: [i][View Page [i]] page: [ii][View Page [ii]][View Figure]Truly yours
Horace P. Biddle.
page: [iii][View Page [iii]]LAST POEMS.
BY HORACE P. BIDDLE.
Bold as the eagle dare; true as the turtle sing!
CINCINNATI: ROBERT CLARKE & CO. 1882.
COPYRIGHTED, 1881,
BY HORACE P. BIDDLE.
PREFATORY NOTE.
* * * * *
The poems in this volume were principally written since the year 1872. A few of them were written before that time, and two or three about fifty years ago. None of the author's poems included in the volumes heretofore pub- ished are reprinted in this. With the exception of a few that appeared in periodicals and maga- zines, or got into the newspapers, all the poems in this volume are now published for the first time.
page: [vi][View Page [vi]] page: [vii][View Page [vii]]TO THE MUSES.
* * * * *
- Ye Beautiful, ye Nine, where do ye dwell?
- And can your haunts only be seen afar?
- May we approach ye not? O, who can tell
- Me on what rock or laureled mount, or where,
- On flowery plain, in woods, or shady dell,
- On the green earth, or in the bluey air,
- My eyes may see your beauty; for there long
- For one sweet glimpse to aid my laboring song.
- Where--in blue ether, or the burning star,
- In sky, or cloud, or earth, or in the sea;
- Above, below, here, there, or near, or far;
- In cave, on mountain peak, or flowery lea;
- On rock or wave, in waste or rich parterre;
- In darkness, light, in time, eternity--
- Dost dwell the True, the Good, the Beautiful?
- Tell me, sweet Spirit, breathe it to my soul!
CONTENTS.
PART I--OBJECTIVE.
- PAGE.
- THE WEST 1
- SONG OF THE PIONEER 6
- SPRING TIME 8
- THE FIRST VIOLET 9
- UNGATHERED FLOWERS 10
- FLOWER AND FRUIT 11
- THE LOVES OF THE FLOWERS 12
- WHERE THE WATER-CRESSES GROW 13
- HOME 14
- CREATION 15
- THE NAMELESS ONE 18
- ADA 21
- EVA 23
- THE UNTUTORED MAIDEN 24
- LOVELY, MERRY, LAUGHING GIRL 25
- THE VESTAL 26
- THE ONE I LOVE 28
- I SEE THEE 30
- A GLIMPSE 32
- CLUSTERED BEAUTIES 33
- WHO IS SHE? 34
- TO AN ANGEL 35
- THE SUN AND THE FLOWER 37
- THE LITTLE VINE 38
- THE DAY OF LIFE 39
- WOMAN 40
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- WHY? 41
- MY BIRD 42
- SONNET (To Emily Thornton Charles) 43
- THE NEST AND TOMB 44
- WHAT TAUGHT THEE CRUELTY SO YOUNG? 44
- THE BURNING SHIP 46
- THE WAIL OF THE LIGHTNING 47
- THE POET 50
- THE POET'S GENIUS 57
- THE POET'S NEED 58
- THE POET'S WORK 59
- THE CROWN OF THE POETS 60
- BYRON 61
- THE FAME OF BYRON 62
- BURNS 63
- SHELLEY 65
- BRYANT 66
- THE OLD POET 67
- LONGFELLOW 68
- GOETHE (To His Portrait, by A. E. Sinks) 70
- PLATO 71
- THE POET'S GRAVE 75
- MY GRAVE 76
- MY MONUMENT 78
- FOREVER 79
- THE ALL-LOVE 81
* * * * *
PART II.--SUBJECTIVE.
- A SOUL 87
- THE SPIRIT OF SONG 91
- I LOVE THEE 95
- MUSIC 97
- GENIUS 98
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- POETRY AND GENIUS 100
- WHISPERINGS 101
- THE STAR AND SOUL 103
- TORTURE 103
- MEDITATION 104
- CURELESS GRIEFS 105
- THE FUTURE 106
- MY HEART AND BIRD 107
- SAD 108
- MORTAL AND IMMORTAL 109
- THE DEAD HEART 110
- A WORD MAY WOUND 110
- ESTRANGEMENT 111
- PAST SORROWS 111
- L'ENNUYER 112
- IMAGINATION 114
- LOVE'S MELANCHOLY 116
- THE HERMIT 123
- I AM NOT ALONE 125
* * * * *
PART III.--AFFECTIONAL.
- THE FIRST THRILL OF LOVE 131
- THE WIFE 132
- THE SWEETEST FEAR AND FONDEST HOPE 133
- DEARER THAN LIFE 134
- COME AND LOVE ME 136
- THE LAMENT 137
- THE HOMELESS HEART 138
- ALONE 139
- SINCE THOU ART GONE AWAY FROM ME 141
- LOVE AND SONG 142
- O, LET ME SING OF THY SWEET NAME 143
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- LANGUAGE, LOVE, AND FLOWERS 145
- THE WATER-LILY 146
- SWEET, SWEETER, SWEETEST 147
- THE CHOICE OF EYES 149
- THOU ART; I AM 150
- THE OLD IS SWEETER THAN THE NEW 151
- MY LIPS 153
- I WIN NA BE HIS DEATH 154
- THE PILGRIM OF LOVE (from the Arabic of Hussian) 156
- THE QUESTION 158
- THE ANSWER 160
- EVER OR NEVER 162
- MY DARLING MAE 163
- LOVE AND RICHES 164
- MY TREASURE 164
- THE DEAD CHILD 167
- ROSA TO PAREPA 168
- LOVE AND AMBITION 171
- THE LOWLY MAID 172
- LISTEN 174
- THE CHOSEN HOME 175
- THE HARP OF LOVE 177
- YOU SAY YOU LOVE ME 178
- ONCE 179
- THE FOND BELIEF 181
- SO KIND AND YET SO COLD 181
- MY ONLY ONE 182
- THE TOUCH 183
- YOUNG ROBBIE 184
- MY UNPLUCKED FLOWER 185
- HER DEATH 186
- HER BURIAL 187
- HER GRAVE 188
- BY HER GRAVE 189
- THE BEREAVED HEART 191
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- I AM NOT PARTED FROM THEE 191
- LINES, (on the Death of My Sister, Mrs. Spencer) 192
- MY LAST FAREWELL 193
* * * * *
PART IV.--PASSIONAL.
- INVOCATION 197
- LOVE IS LIFE 197
- THE GREAT LOVE 198
- THE GRANDEUR OF LOVE 200
- DESTINY 201
- OUR FATE 202
- MY LIGHT, MY LIFE, MY LOVE 202
- ONE LOOK 203
- THOU ART WOMAN 204
- THOSE BEAMING EYES 205
- LET ME LOVE THEE 206
- LOVE'S MARTYR 207
- THE RACK AND PYRE 208
- SO KIND, YET CRUEL 209
- DO NOT LET ME LOVE YOU 210
- THOU MUST NOT LOVE ME 211
- INNOCENCE 212
- THE KNIGHT'S LOVE 214
- NORWILDA 216
- PASSION AND PURITY 217
- WEDDED LOVE 218
* * * * *
PART V.--SATIRICAL.
- THOU MAN OF PRIESTLY POWER 223
- YE KNOW HIM 229
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- A CHARACTER 230
- BEHOLD 231
- HOW LITTLE 232
- THE SECOND COMING 233
- THE IMPENITENT 235
- THE AGONY 236
- WHAT IS LOVE 236
- MAN AND WOMAN 237
- RETRIBUTION 239
- THE FATAL DART 239
- ONE PANG, AND ALL WAS OVER 240
- SORDID LOVE 241
- FAIR AND FALSE 242
- THE BETRAYER 243
- THE TWO FRIENDS 244
- PERFECT PEOPLE 244
* * * * *
PART VI.--HUMOROUS.
- THE FIRST POEM 249
- THE SWEETEST POETS 250
- CUPID'S COMPLAINT 251
- WISDOM, LOVE, AND MIRTH 253
- POOR TOM 254
- HOW FOOLISH 256
- NORA MCLEE 257
- OH, OH, IT IS LOVE 259
- THE VOICE OF LOVE 261
- LOVE ME 262
- BEAUTY, LOVE, AND WINE 264
- YOU NEVER CAN MAKE A YOUNG LOVER OF ME 265
- LOVE-SICKNESS 267
- THE CUP OF LOVE 268
- HAPPY WEDLOCK 269
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- CUPID 269
- CUPID IN THE KITCHEN 272
- THE LIFE OF LOVE 273
- THE PUZZLE 275
- SPEECH AND SILENCE 277
- MY LITTLE PAULINE 278
* * * * *
PART VII.--EPIGRAMMATIC.
- ON A DULL POET 283
- ON A RICH POET 283
- POETRY 284
- SHAKESPEARE 285
- THE VINE 285
- THE QUARREL (Between Voltaire and Frederick The Great) 286
- A BEAUTY 286
- I DREAM 287
- VIRTUE AND VENUS 287
- THE BEST GIFT 288
- THE THREE IN ONE 288
- INSINCERITY 289
- FIRST LOVE 289
- LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP 290
- SOUL LOVE 290
- THE SILENT VOW 291
- BEAUTY, LOVE, AND IRE 291
- THE PROOF OF LOVE 292
- CONQUER AND GOVERN 292
- THE SUICIDE 293
- THE JEWEL 293
- BEAUTY 294
- COME 294
- THE BIRTH AND LIFE OF LOVE 295
- UNQUIET LOVE 295
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- ALL OR NONE 296
- LOVE'S THREAT 296
- THE END OF LOVE 297
- EPIGRAMMATICS 297
- THE SEARCH 298
- JOYS AND GRIEFS 299
- THE BRIGHT SIDE 299
- ON AN ENGLISH CURATE DINING OUT 300
- BROKEN 300
- THE TARNISHED GEM 301
- ON A MISER 301
- YE WEALTHY SLAVES 302
- WISDOM, WORTH, AND COURAGE 302
- TRUTH AND DUTY 303
- MISANTHROPY 303
- THE UNFORTUNATE 304
- WOES AND PLEASURES 304
- LINES WRITTEN UNDER A PORTRAIT 304
- THE TRIO 305
- THE HISTORY OF MAN 305
- PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE 306
- NOT ALWAYS 306
- THE DISAGREEMENT 307
- MY ANGEL 307
* * * * *
PART VIII.--MORAL.
- MAN 311
- THE VITAL FLAME 312
- INFINITE, ETERNAL LOVE 313
- THE YEARS 315
- LIBERTY 317
- JUSTICE 318
- THE MOTTO 320
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- LIFE AND DEATH 320
- THE STING AND THE BALM 321
- ENDEAVOR 322
- PAST JOYS 323
- THE HUMAN HEART 324
- THE WOLF AND THE LAMB 325
- FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, AND FLOWERS 327
- LOVE AND THE SEASONS 328
- THE RUINED FLOWER 329
- THE TULIP AND THE VIOLET 330
- JOYS AND FLOWERS 330
- UNDER THE SHADOWS 331
- FLEETING THINGS 334
- MAY I NOT SMILE 335
- THE PEARL OF FORTUNE. (From the Persian of Hafis) 336
- AN ODE ON SPRING. (From the Turkish Poet, Meshihi) 337
- A MORNING SONG 340
- FAME 341
- REFLECTIONS AT A GRAVE 342
- LIGHT AND GLADNESS 343
- NEVER WILL THE HEART BE STILL 344
- FREE 346
- 'TIS NOT ENOUGH 347
- THE SCHOOL OF LIFE 348
- LEARNING AND GENIUS 349
- THE FLOWER AND FRUIT 350
- THE BEAUTY OF ADVERSITY 351
- TOUCH TENDERLY 351
- THE OPENING HEART 352
- THE HAVEN 353
- THE POET AND THE HERO 354
- THE OLD-NEW STORY 355
- THE DEAR LONG AGO AND SWEET BY-AND-BY 356
- THE SACRIFICE 357
- BEAUTY, GOODNESS, TRUTH, AND LOVE 357
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- UNHAPPY BEAUTY 359
- LOVE'S VICTIM 361
- THE FLAME OF LOVE IS QUENCHED IN TEARS 362
- LOVE AND DEATH 363
- THE TRINITY OF LOVE 364
- THE FIRST LOVE AND LAST 365
- YOUNG LUCY 366
- LOVE AND KNOWLEDGE 367
- THE HUMAN PROCESSION 369
- CUPID CONQUERS 370
- INNOCENT LOVE 372
- COURAGE, GENIUS, LOVE 373
- AMBITION BLUSTERS 374
- THE RULER OF THE WORLD 376
- WISEST, RICHEST, HAPPIEST 377
- LOVE'S ECSTASY AND AGONY 378
- THE GREATEST GOOD 378
- WINE, WAR, AND LOVE 380
- LOVE IS THE CHARGE OF LIFE 381
- THE ROSE AND LAUREL 382
- THE OLD PHILOSOPHER 382
- MEMORIES 383
- WHY SHOULD LOVE STILL BECKEN ME? 384
- MY THREE SCORE AND TEN 386
- ONE WHO LINGERS 387
* * * * *
PART IX.--RELIGIOUS.
- THE CHURCH OF GOD 391
- THE ALL 393
- HOPE AND MEMORY 395
- THE HIGHEST GIFT 396
- GOD AND THE SOUL 398
- REST 399
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- THE COURSE OF TIME 400
- MIND AND SOUL 401
- WHERE GOES THE SOUL 402
- SORROW'S SHADOW 402
- AROUSE, THOU STRICKEN HEART 403
- HEART GEMS 404
- THE WEALTH OF LOVE 405
- HERE AND THERE 407
- TEARS ARE SWEET 408
- HAPPINESS 409
- THE MYSTERY 410
- OF SPIRIT BORN 411
- DEATH'S SOLILOQUY 412
- THE SPHERE OF MAN 412
- THE ROAD OF LIFE 413
- THE SOUL'S VOYAGE 415
- EARTH AND HEAVEN 416
- HERE AND HEREAFTER 417
- DOWN TO DEATH AND UP TO LIFE 419
- HOW BEAUTIFUL IS DEATH 420
- WHAT IS DYING? 421
- DYING 423
- MY HOME ABOVE 425