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Poems of Peace and War

Chapter 42: EASTER MORN.
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About This Book

A collection of lyric poems that alternate between reflections on war and patriotic duty and meditations on peace, faith, and domestic life. Several pieces invoke prayer, religious imagery, and hopes for democracy or international brotherhood, while others celebrate nature, seasonal change, memory, and the comforts of home. The verse mixes celebratory patriotic anthems, contemplative reveries about creation and mortality, and practical reflections on marriage and family, often urging simplicity, compassion, and moral choice amid turmoil.

Go to sleep, await the day,
Fair in dreamland far away,
Through the shadows of the night
’Till the early morning light.
Slumber sweetly, do not fear,
Angels voices hover near,
Lullabies so soft they sing,
Messages of love doth bring.
Sleep, O sleep, ’till dawning light,
Wakes thee on thy pillow white,
Then arise with glad heart sing
Praises to our heav’nly King.

THE SEASONS.

We greet Spring’s warm rain and sunshine,
The budding trees and flow’rs;
Summer’s blue skies so radiant,
Above the rose leaf bow’rs;
We greet Autumn as we harvest,
All efforts we have made;
Then Winter like the close of life,
Comes creeping in the shade.

LOVED MINSTREL OF ERIN.

Oh loved minstrel of Erin chant forth thy sweet lay,
All down through the ages you’ve sang,
From the first breath of dawn ere the mists rolled away,
Through Erin thy melodies rang;
For thy soul stirring themes of joy and of sorrow,
Inspire us with love and with zeal,
With hope in our hearts that the dawning tomorrow,
The sunburst of freedom reveal.
Of her glories, her triumphs, and her vict’ries sing,
Her art, learning, culture and songs,
Of brave hearts ever loyal to country and king,
On battle fields fighting her wrongs,
Yes, the wrongs of a nation down trodden forlorn,
For centuries long they have bled,
For the faith of their fathers, the cross they have borne,
And planted where ever they fled.

THE AVE’S, OR LIGHTS OF HOME.

In that land of haunting beauty,
Our Mary’s own sweet month of May,
In a thatched cottage years ago,
While the birds chirped in the hedgerows,
And the flowers were veiled in sleep,
Sweet Ave’s from fond hearts did flow.
In the shadows of the turf fire,
Several figures knelt in pray’r,
The soft breeze lingered by the door,
While the oft repeated Ave’s,
The sweet Hail Mary full of grace
Their beads they counted o’er and o’er.
Oh for this the May breeze waited,
And then at last went on its way,
The hawthorn’s perfume filled the air,
For the incense of those Ave’s
It bore away to Mary’s throne,
A tribute of love and prayer.

THE TRUTHS OF OLD, OH HEART OF MAN.

The truths of old, oh heart of man,
Speak forth with free impressive tongue,
For righteousness thy thoughts express,
The seeming mysteries of God’s plan;
Let thoughts emerge from heart and brain,
In spoken accents sweet and low,
Give to the world your very best,
For in His plan God willed it so.
All nature moves in harmony,
No discord mars the glad refrain
Of sun, and moon, and stars above,
Of trees and flow’rs on hill and plain;
Oh! heart of man with truths of old,
In love and justice rule the earth,
Resplendent shine like purest gold,
Without alloy, oh heart of man.

THE MESSAGE OF THE ROSE.

See a beautiful rose just unfolding
Breathing its fragrance on the summer air,
While on the emerald green at its feet
A modest blue violet bloomed so fair;
And thought oh how happy the rose must be
Queen of the garden, nodding gracefully.
But there is ne’er a rose without its thorns
While on its beauty we may always gaze
If we go near why we must have a care
Or those thorns will pierce while still we may praise.
Then the rose bending low her stately head
Kissed the sweet violet tender and true
As a pearly tear from her petals fell,
On the violet’s lips bedecked with dew,
And said, “Little flower contented be.
No thorns probe your side, nodding gracefully.”

THE TIES THAT BIND.

How dear the ties that bind us to the past,
Fond thoughts of them around our hearts doth twine;
We seem to feel the essence of their love,
Like fragrance of the rose in summer time.
Though passd from earth, their influence remain,
Their earnestness, their work, their loving care:
The rift within the clouds cast forth sunshine,
Sweet rays of hope, The Beautiful Somewhere.
Somewhere beyond in that haven of rest,
Where bright light divine shines forth from its dome,
Where heavenly choirs are chanting His praise,
We place forget-me-nots around their home.

WHERE SHALL I HIDE?

Where shall I hide? a sad voice cried,
Where shall I hide I pray,
Why is it so, where e’er I go,
Along my weary way,
The path seems all beset with thorns
No roses can I see?
Where shall I hide? where shall I hide?
Lo! Christ says hide in me.
Oh child of sorrow, ne’er despair,
Full well I loveth thee,
For thee I died, so do not hide
So far away from me,
But look beyond this vale of tears,
With faith’s unerring light,
Roses you’ll see mid garlands free
Along your path so bright.

EASTER MORN.

From the garden fair of heaven,
Like dewdrops from the skies
Falls the perfume of a flower
That is now in paradise.
May the essence of his virtues
Steal softly o’er the dawn,
Dispelling all the shadows grey
As on that Easter morn.
As captives here we may languish
All peace will soar away,
’Till refreshing dews from heaven
Guide us on day by day.
God’s love and light will sustain us
Like the lily so fair
We will drink of His sweet fragrance
And banish ev’ry care.

LOVE’S SECRET.

I breathe it to the rose at dawn,
To the violets blue,
The secret of my soul new born,
And love ’tis all of you.
I tell them of a vision fair,
A dream of bliss divine,
And as their perfume fills the air,
My heart seeks only thine.
I plucked the buds all blushing red,
The violets so blue,
They seem to say with drooping heads
Fond thoughts we’ll take for you,
To her heart we’ll bring sweet tidings
While nestling on her breast,
We’ll breathe of love the poet sings,
Of love supremely blest.

CHRISTMAS IN THE CLOISTER.

Without the earth was robed in white,
Stars glittered in the wintry sky,
The altar lights shone fair and bright,
Sweet heav’nly music rose on high,
Breathing in the language of the soul,
All that the soul so longs to hear,
While from the sanctu’ry lamp there stole
Soft rays that flickered far and near.
And lo! the scene, the Cloister choir,
The nuns in silent pray’r with God,
The crib of Bethlehem, all inspire,
Uplift our hearts from earth’s cold clod;
All hallowed by God’s holy priest,
Raising the host of sacrifice,
While rays from the star of the east
Seem to guide us away from vice.
Non omnis moriar, they say,
Not dead the flow’rs beneath the snow,
They’ll come forth from the earth so gray,
Live and bloom in the sun’s warm glow;
Above the snow beyond the stars
They who have gone in soft tones sing,
Non omnis moriar, afar,
We dwell in peace with Christ our King.

THE MUSICIAN’S LOVE-SONG.

A thousand harps are breaking music in my heart,
In wild picturesque corners where the nymphs might prance,
Strains, half sweet, half sad, in my daily life apart,
Gush forth as from a fountain where the sun’s light dance.
The dusk of night is hov’ring o’er the twilight hour,
Its hidden existence through ever changing years,
The sun’s last rays shed a halo o’er our bower,
The flowers in their beauty seem diffused with tears.
All nature blends in song, in harmony so grand,
Oh why not my soul in sweet melody divine,
Soar ever onward, upward over sea and land,
Through space and eternity to the heav’nly shrine.

A VISION.

I gazed at the sky half dreaming,
Through the whispering trees,
I lay enrapt in its beauty,
While hope sighed through the leaves,
A sense of sublime awakening
Stole o’er my slumb’ring soul,
I awoke in this universe,
Where, oh where was the goal?
Then the world seemed slowly fading
The godlike seemed to shine
My heart throbbed under the vision
The infinite divine.
I awoke to face life’s battles
Those mem’ries floating o’er
As a safeguard in temptation
A safeguard evermore.

FOOTPRINTS OF GOD.

Ev’ry flower by the wayside,
Ev’ry shrub, ev’ry tree,
The little brooks ’neath mossy banks,
Sing joyfully of Thee.
As we gaze upon the heavens,
The solar system, where
We see order all about us
Thy footprints, God, are there.
Oh the glory and the grandeur
Of Thy Godhead we see
In all Harmony and beauty
Revealed to us by Thee.
All creation speaks Thy presence,
All hallowed be Thy name,
From zone to zone, from east to west
Thy footprints will remain.

IN MEMORIAM, A BEAUTIFUL ROSE FROM ASHES BORN.

Oh, sacred spot where ashes rest,
Where thy dear form is laid away,
’Way from our sight so calm, serene,
Only waiting the judgment day;
Lo! from thy heart a rose is born,
Like thy soul with beauty and grace,
Opening its petals o’er thy grave,
Yes, shedding its perfume through space.
Like bird on the wing a message
As sweet as the nightingale’s song,
Pure as the rose leaves o’er thy breast,
Proclaiming to the world’s great throng,
There is no death, sin, gloom or strife
After we reach the other shore,
From the ashes a rose is born,
To bloom in God’s love ever more.

EVENTIDE BY THE SEA.

Far, far out as the foaming waves,
Dance and glisten in caps of white,
See the setting sun’s crimson rays,
Reflected in the waters bright.
The crested billows rise and fall,
The mermaids chant their evening song,
In murmurs low the sea doth call,
The evening bell its tones prolong.
Echoing softly o’er the sea,
Then resounding along the shore,
As ebbing tides flow glad and free,
Forever sighing evermore.
The waters in green, blue and gold,
As the mist arises from the sea
In weird fantastic shadows bold,
Seem gently calling you and me.
Behold, oh great Creator blest,
Oh! Sovereign King of earth and heav’n,
Thy myst’ries sooth our souls to rest,
Faith and hope to us are given.

BEAUTY.

Now, “Beauty is what beauty does”
We hear the poets say,
As, “Beauty is what beauty does,”
We all may hope and pray
Our minds to high ideals will rise,
Our bodies hold in sway;
The thoughts within will shine without
Emit the brightest ray,
Of love, and sunshine, faith and truth
Self sacrifice each day.
The souls that speak from out such eyes,
With wondrous beauties shine,
The smiles that hover o’er such lips,
A wealth of love define,
The graceful poise, sweet manners born
Of deeds and truths sublime;
All animation, charm, repose,
Produced from such a mine
Of wealth untold, of gifts so grand,
We see at beauty’s shrine.

FAREWELL, SWEET SONGSTER.

Farewell, farewell sweet songster,
We are sad from thee to part,
Thy soul inspiring music,
Cheered many a weary heart,
The lark soars tow’rd the heavens,
Yes, far upward in its flight,
The nightingale’s sweet music
Often thrills us with delight.
Sweet thoughts of thee we’ll cherish,
Our bright shining star of love,
Thy melodies would waken
The celestial choirs above;
For strains of sweetest music,
Now seem wafted o’er the sea,
List’ning to the grand old songs
That so charmed us sung by thee.

THE LIGHT OF PRAYER.

Oh light of pray’r divinely blest,
Within our hearts there find sweet rest;
Oh vision bright of faith supreme
More beautiful than poet’s theme,
On all the beauty earth can give
But to decay, with thee we live.
We’ll live with thee in heav’n above,
Where all is happiness and love,
When from this sphere we’re called away
To live in the eternal day.
The light of pray’r our guide will be,
Faith’s vision of eternity.

VISIONS OF ETERNITY.

Far, far away o’er the meadow,
Watching the sunset’s glow,
List’ning to the songbirds chirping
To the night, sweet and low,
Oh there as the twilight shadows
Bid goodbye to the day,
How our souls go out in rapture
From tenements of clay.
For there in the dim seclusion
Of nature’s magic hour,
A glorious beauty is revealed
Of God’s most sacred pow’r.
A sublime myster’ous vision,
A halo from above,
Casting sunshine o’er the shadows
By virtue of His love.

LOVE IS THE FULFILLMENT.

Love is the fulfillment for God is love,
From Him all blessings flow,
Peace, truth and righteousness comes from above,
Deep in our hearts they grow;
The world is progressing, aye, slow but sure,
Time’s ever on the wing;
A new day is dawning, born to endure,
Love, truth and peace will bring.
Love ruleth ever and all men will be,
Of one vast brotherhood,
Kingdoms are tot’ring far over the sea,
Yes, crumbling as they should,
God will be apparent the God of love,
All will know He is King,
The rule of right like the carrier dove
A message sweet will bring.