Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
America: Vols. XXV–XXIX. 1876–79. | | | | Southern States: Washington, D. C. | | The Nests at Washington | | John James Piatt (1835–1917) |
| | | BEFORE the White House portals | |
| The careless eyes behold | |
| Three iron bombs uplifted, | |
| Adusk in summer gold. | |
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| In dreamy mood I wandered | 5 |
| At Sabbath sunset there, | |
| While the wide city’s murmur | |
| Hummed vaguely everywhere: | |
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| “Black seeds of desolation,” | |
| I said, “by War’s red hand | 10 |
| Sown in the fierce sirocco | |
| Over the wasted land! | |
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| “Unholy with the holy, | |
| What do ye here to-day, | |
| Symbols of awful battle, | 15 |
| In Sabbath’s peaceful ray?” | |
| |
| Angel of Dust and Darkness! | |
| I heard thy woful breath, | |
| With noise of all earth’s battles, | |
| Answer: “Let there be Death!” | 20 |
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| I thought of many a midnight, | |
| Where sprang terrific light | |
| Over wide woods and marshes; | |
| Fierce fireflies fit the night. | |
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| I saw beleaguered bastions | 25 |
| Leap up in red dismay, | |
| Wide rivers all transfigured | |
| Awake in dreadful day. | |
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| Asleep in peaceful sunshine | |
| Glimmered the warlike things: | 30 |
| Into their hollow horror | |
| Flew tenderest summer wings! | |
| |
| Deep in the awful chambers | |
| Of the gigantic Death, | |
| The wrens their nests had builded | 35 |
| And dwelt with loving breath. | |
| |
| Angel of Resurrection! | |
| Over all buried strife | |
| I heard thy bird-song whisper, | |
| Sweetly, “Let there be Life!” | 40 | | | |
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