What man is there so bold that he should say,
“Thus, and thus only, would I have the Sea”?
For whether lying calm and beautiful,
Clasping the earth in love, and throwing back
The smile of Heaven from waves of amethyst;
Or whether, freshened by the busy...

Poet: John Hay

Land of unconquered Pelayo! land of the Cid Campeador!
Sea-girdled mother of men! Spain, name of glory and power;
Cradle of world-grasping Emperors, grave of the reckless invader,
How art thou fallen, my Spain! how art thou sunk at this hour!

Once thy...

Poet: John Hay

The beauty of the northern dawns,
    Their pure, pale light is thine;
Yet all the dreams of tropic nights
    Within thy blue eyes shine.
Not statelier in their prisoning seas
    The icebergs grandly move,
But in thy smile is youth and joy,...

Poet: John Hay

Wall, no! I can’t tell whar he lives,
  Becase he don’t live, you see;
Leastways, he ’s got out of the habit
  Of livin’ like you and me.
Whar have you been for the last three year
  That you haven’t heard folks tell
How Jimmy Bludso passed in his...

Poet: John Hay

I don’t go much on religion,
  I never ain’t had no show;
But I ’ve got a middlin’ tight grip, sir,
  On the handful o’ things I know.
I don’t pan out on the prophets
  And free-will and that sort of thing,—
But I b’lieve in God and the angels,...

Poet: John Hay

My short and happy day is done,
The long and dreary night comes on,
And at my door the pale horse stands
To carry me to unknown lands.

His whinny shrill, his pawing hoof,
Sound dreadful as a gathering storm;
And I must leave this sheltering roof...

Poet: John Hay

A Sentinel angel, sitting high in glory,
Heard this shrill wail ring out from Purgatory:
“Have mercy, mighty angel, hear my story!

“I loved,—and, blind with passionate love, I fell.
Love brought me down to death, and death to Hell;
For God is just, and...

Poet: John Hay

He stood before the Sanhedrim;
The scowling rabbis gazed at him;
He recked not of their praise or blame;
There was no fear, there was no shame
For one upon whose dazzled eyes
The whole world poured its vast surprise.
The open heaven was far too...

Poet: John Hay

What man is there so bold that he should say,
“Thus, and thus only, would I have the Sea”?
For whether lying calm and beautiful,
Clasping the earth in love, and throwing back
The smile of Heaven from waves of amethyst;
Or whether, freshened by the busy...

Poet: John Hay

Pike County Ballads
WALL, no! I can’t tell whar he lives,
  Because he don’t live, you see;
Leastways, he ’s got out of the habit
  Of livin’ like you and me.
Whar have you been for the last three year
  That you haven’t heard folks tell
How...

Poet: John Hay