(The trailing arbutus, or Mayflower, grows abundantly in the vicinity of Plymouth, and was the first flower that greeted the Pilgrims after their fearful winter.)
Sad Mayflower! watched by winter starsAnd nursed by winter gales,With petals of the sleeted sparsAnd leaves of frozen sails!What had she in those dreary hours,Within her ice-rimmed bay,In common with the wild-wood flowers,The first sweet smiles of May?Yet, "God be praised!" the Pilgrim said,Who saw the blossoms peerAbove the brown leaves, dry and dead,"Behold our Mayflower here!""God wills it: here our rest shall be,Our years of wandering o'er,For us the Mayflower of the seaShall spread her sails no more."O sacred flowers of faith and hope,As sweetly now as thenYe bloom on many a birchen slope,In many a pine-dark glen.Behind the sea-wall's rugged length,Unchanged, your leaves unfold,Like love behind the manly strengthOf the brave hearts of old.So live the fathers in their sons,Their sturdy faith be ours,And ours the love that overrunsIts rocky strength with flowers.The Pilgrim's wild and wintry dayIts shadows round us draws;The Mayflower of his stormy bay,Our Freedom's struggling cause.But warmer suns ere long shall bringTo life the frozen sod;And through dead leaves of hope shall springAfresh the flowers of God!—Whittier.
Sad Mayflower! watched by winter starsAnd nursed by winter gales,With petals of the sleeted sparsAnd leaves of frozen sails!What had she in those dreary hours,Within her ice-rimmed bay,In common with the wild-wood flowers,The first sweet smiles of May?Yet, "God be praised!" the Pilgrim said,Who saw the blossoms peerAbove the brown leaves, dry and dead,"Behold our Mayflower here!""God wills it: here our rest shall be,Our years of wandering o'er,For us the Mayflower of the seaShall spread her sails no more."O sacred flowers of faith and hope,As sweetly now as thenYe bloom on many a birchen slope,In many a pine-dark glen.Behind the sea-wall's rugged length,Unchanged, your leaves unfold,Like love behind the manly strengthOf the brave hearts of old.So live the fathers in their sons,Their sturdy faith be ours,And ours the love that overrunsIts rocky strength with flowers.The Pilgrim's wild and wintry dayIts shadows round us draws;The Mayflower of his stormy bay,Our Freedom's struggling cause.But warmer suns ere long shall bringTo life the frozen sod;And through dead leaves of hope shall springAfresh the flowers of God!—Whittier.
Sad Mayflower! watched by winter starsAnd nursed by winter gales,With petals of the sleeted sparsAnd leaves of frozen sails!
Sad Mayflower! watched by winter stars
And nursed by winter gales,
With petals of the sleeted spars
And leaves of frozen sails!
What had she in those dreary hours,Within her ice-rimmed bay,In common with the wild-wood flowers,The first sweet smiles of May?
What had she in those dreary hours,
Within her ice-rimmed bay,
In common with the wild-wood flowers,
The first sweet smiles of May?
Yet, "God be praised!" the Pilgrim said,Who saw the blossoms peerAbove the brown leaves, dry and dead,"Behold our Mayflower here!"
Yet, "God be praised!" the Pilgrim said,
Who saw the blossoms peer
Above the brown leaves, dry and dead,
"Behold our Mayflower here!"
"God wills it: here our rest shall be,Our years of wandering o'er,For us the Mayflower of the seaShall spread her sails no more."
"God wills it: here our rest shall be,
Our years of wandering o'er,
For us the Mayflower of the sea
Shall spread her sails no more."
O sacred flowers of faith and hope,As sweetly now as thenYe bloom on many a birchen slope,In many a pine-dark glen.
O sacred flowers of faith and hope,
As sweetly now as then
Ye bloom on many a birchen slope,
In many a pine-dark glen.
Behind the sea-wall's rugged length,Unchanged, your leaves unfold,Like love behind the manly strengthOf the brave hearts of old.
Behind the sea-wall's rugged length,
Unchanged, your leaves unfold,
Like love behind the manly strength
Of the brave hearts of old.
So live the fathers in their sons,Their sturdy faith be ours,And ours the love that overrunsIts rocky strength with flowers.
So live the fathers in their sons,
Their sturdy faith be ours,
And ours the love that overruns
Its rocky strength with flowers.
The Pilgrim's wild and wintry dayIts shadows round us draws;The Mayflower of his stormy bay,Our Freedom's struggling cause.
The Pilgrim's wild and wintry day
Its shadows round us draws;
The Mayflower of his stormy bay,
Our Freedom's struggling cause.
But warmer suns ere long shall bringTo life the frozen sod;And through dead leaves of hope shall springAfresh the flowers of God!—Whittier.
But warmer suns ere long shall bring
To life the frozen sod;
And through dead leaves of hope shall spring
Afresh the flowers of God!
—Whittier.