Niagara Falls 



1818 And roll obedient to thy call. I hear 



The tempest-hymning of thy floods in fear: 

 The quaking mountains and the nodding trees — 

 The reeling birds and the careering breeze — 

 The tottering hills, unsteadied in thy roar: 

 Niagara ! as thy dark waters pour, 

 One everlasting earthquake rocks thy lofty shore! 



The cavalcade went by. The day hath gone ; 

 And yet the soldier lives: his cheerful tone 

 Rises in boisterous song; while slowly calls 

 The monarch spirit of the mighty falls. 

 Soldiers be firm ! — and mind your watch fires well : 

 Sleep not to-night ! — there comes a distant swell 

 Like the approaching step of toiling steeds 

 Encountering on the hills; and far behind us speeds, 



Low stooping from his arch, the glorious sun 

 Hath left the storm with which his course begun; 

 And now, in rolling clouds goes calmly home 

 In heavenly pomp a-down the far blue dome. 

 In sweet toned minstrelsy is heard the cry, 

 All clear and smooth, along the echoing sky, 

 Of many a fresh blown bugle, full and strong, 

 The soldier's instrument! the soldier's song! 

 Niagara too, is heard: his thunder comes 

 Like far-off battle — hosts of rolling drums. 

 All o'er the western heaven the flaming clouds 

 Detach themselves and float like hovering shrouds: 

 Loosely unwoven, and afar unfurled, 

 A sunset canopy enwraps the world. 

 The Vesper hymn grows soft. In parting day 

 Wings flit about. The warblings die away, 

 The shores are dizzy, and the hills look dim, 

 The cataract falls deeper and the landscapes swim. 



700 



