‘Neath the olives of Samaria, in far-famed Galilee,Where dark green vines are mirrored in a placid silver sea,‘Mid scenes of tranquil beauty, glowing sun-sets, rosy dawn,The Master and disciples to the city journeyed on. And, as they neared a valley where a sheltered hamlet lay,A strange, portentous wailing made them pause upon their way–Voices fraught […]

Close beside the crystal waters of Jacob’s far-famed well,Whose dewy coolness gratefully upon the parched air fell,Reflecting back the bright hot heavens within its waveless breast,Jesus, foot-sore and weary, had sat Him down to rest. Alone was He–His followers had gone to Sichar near,Whose roofs and spires rose sharply against the heavens clear,For food which […]

With what a flood of wondrous thoughtsEach Christian breast must swellWhen, wandering back through ages past,With simple faith they dwellOn quiet Nazareth’s sacred sod,Where the Child Saviour’s footsteps trod. Awe-struck we picture to ourselvesThat brow serene and fair,That gentle face, the long rich curlsOf wavy golden hair,And those deep wondrous, star-like eyes,Holy and calm as […]

Softly the sunbeams gleamed athwart the Temple proud and high–Built up by Israel’s wisest to the Lord of earth and sky–Lighting its gorgeous fretted roof, and every sacred foldOf mystic veil–from gaze profane that hid the ark of old. Ne’er could man’s gaze have rested on a scene more rich and bright:Agate and porphyry–precious gems–cedar […]

‘Twas not a palace proud and fairHe chose for His first home;No dazz’ling pile of grandeur rare,With pillar’d hall and dome;Oh no! a stable, rude and poor,Received Him at His birth;And thus was born, unknown, obscure,The Lord of Heaven and Earth. No band of anxious menials there,To tend the new-born child,Joseph alone and Mary fairUpon […]

The noontide sun streamed brightly downMoriah’s mountain crest,The golden blaze of his vivid raysTinged sacred Jordan’s breast;While towering palms and flowerets sweet,Drooped low ‘neath Syria’s burning heat. In the sunny glare of the sultry airToiled up the mountain sideThe Patriarch sage in stately age,And a youth in health’s gay pride,Bearing in eyes and in features […]

( Written during sickness ). Soul —Oh! say must I leave this world of lightWith its sparkling streams and sunshine bright,Its budding flowers, its glorious sky?Vain ’tis to ask me–I cannot die! Angel —But, sister, list! in the realms above,That happy home of eternal love,Are flowers more fair, and skies more clearThan those thou dost […]

Soft and holy Vesper Hour–Precursor of the night–How I love thy soothing power,The hush, the fading light;Raising those vain thoughts of oursTo higher, holier things–Mingling gleams from Eden’s bowersWith earth’s imaginings! How thrilling in some grand old faneTo hear the Vesper prayerRise, with the organ’s solemn strain,On incense-laden air;While the last dying smiles of dayAthwart […]

O Madonna, pure and holy,From sin’s dark stain ever free,Refuge of the sinner lowly,I come–I come to thee!Now with wreaths of sinful pleasureYet my tresses twined among;From the dance’s giddy measure,From the idle jest and song. See! I tear away the flowersFrom my perfumed golden hair,Closely tended in past hoursWith such jealous, sinful care;Never more […]

In the hour of grief and sorrow,When my heart is full of care,Seeking sadly hope to borrowFrom heaven’s promises and prayer;When around me roll the watersOf affliction’s stormy sea,Mary, gentle Queen of Mercy,In that hour, oh! pray for me! When life’s pulses high are boundingWith the tide of earthly joy,And when in mine ears are […]

O aptly named, Illustrious One!Thou art that flower fairThat filled this vast and changeful worldWith mystic perfume rare–Shedding on all the balmy breathOf countless virtues high,Rising like fragrant odours rich,To God’s far, beauteous sky. Mystical Rose! O aptly named!For, as ‘mid brightest flowersThe lovely Rose unquestioned reignsThe Queen of Nature’s bowers,So ‘mid the daughters fair […]

The place is fair and tranquil, Judaea’s cloudless skySmiles down on distant mountain, on glade and valley nigh,And odorous winds bring fragrance from palm-tops darkly green,And olive trees whose branches wave softly o’er the scene. Whence comes the awe-struck feeling that fills the gazer’s breast,The breath, quick-drawn and panting, the awe, the solemn rest?What strange […]

He sat by the dusty way-side,With weary, hopeless mien,On his furrowed brow the tracesOf care and want were seen;With outstretched hand and with bowed-down headHe asked the passers-by for bread. The palm-tree’s feathery foliageAround him thickly grew,And the smiling sky above himWore Syria’s sun-bright hue;But dark alike to that helpless oneWas murky midnight or noon-tide […]

We welcome thy coming, bright, sunny Spring,To this snow-clad land of ours,For sunshine and music surround thy steps,Thy pathway is strewn with flowers;And vainly stern Winter, with brow of gloom,Attempted for awhileTo check thy coming–he had to bowTo the might of thy sunny smile. A touch of thy wand, and our streams and lakesAre freed […]

The Recollect Church.* [* In process of demolition when this poem was written. The Recollect Friars purchased the ground on which the church in question was built in 1692, and on it they constructed a temporary chapel. The actual edifice, however, was not erected till about the year 1706. The order is now extinct. After […]

The rose-tints have faded from out of the West,From the Mountain’s high peak, from the river’s broad breast.And, silently shadowing valley and rill,The twilight steals noiselessly over the hill.Behold, in the blue depths of ether afar,Now softly emerging each glittering star;While, later, the moon, placid, solemn and bright,Floods earth with her tremulous, silvery light. Hush! […]

Come to the casement, we’ll watch the snowSoftly descending on earth below,Fairer and whiter than spotless downOr the pearls that gleam in a monarch’s crown,Clothing the earth in its robe’s bright flow;Is it not lovely–the pure white snow? See, as it falls o’er the landscape wide,How kindly it seeks all blots to hide,Shrouding each black, […]

I have passed the day ‘mid the forest gay,In its gorgeous autumn dyes,Its tints as bright and as fair to the sightAs the hues of our sunset skies;And the sun’s glad rays veiled by golden haze,Streamed down ‘neath its arches grand,And with magic power made scene and hourLike a dream of Faerie Land. The emerald […]

A LEGEND OF NIAGARA FALLS. In days long gone by it was the custom of the Indian warriors of the forest to assemble at the Great Cataract and offer a human sacrifice to the Spirit of the Falls. The offering consisted of a white canoe, full of ripe fruits and blooming flowers, which was paddled […]

Glitt’ring balls and thoughtless revelsFill up now each misspent night–‘Tis the reign of pride and folly,The Carnival is at its height.Every thought for siren pleasure,And its sinful, feverish mirth;Who can find one moment’s leisureFor aught else save things of earth? But, see, sudden stillness fallingO’er those revels, late so loud,And a hush comes quickly overAll […]