Among the Hills. John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892). New England: Ossipee, the Lake, N. H. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. 1876-79. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes. America: Vols. XXV-XXIX

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
America: Vols. XXV–XXIX. 1876–79.

New England: Ossipee, the Lake, N. H.

Among the Hills

John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)


(Excerpt) FOR weeks the clouds had raked the hills,
And vexed the vales with raining;
And all the woods were sad with mist,
And all the brooks complaining.

At last a sudden night-storm tore	5
The mountain veils asunder,
And swept the valleys clean before
The besom of the thunder.

Through Sandwich Notch the west-wind sang
Good-morrow to the cotter;	10
And once again Chocorua’s horn
Of shadow pierced the water.

Above his broad lake, Ossipee,
Once more the sunshine wearing,
Stooped, tracing on that silver shield	15
His grim armorial bearing.

Clear drawn against the hard blue sky,
The peaks had winter’s keenness;
And, close on autumn’s frost, the vales
Had more than Jane’s fresh greenness.	20

You should have seen that long hill-range
With gaps of brightness riven,—
How through each pass and hollow streamed
The purple lights of heaven;

Rivers of gold-mist flowing down	25
From far celestial fountains;
The great sun flaming through the rifts
Beyond the wall of mountains!