James M. Whitfield's America and Other Poems: "Love"

Table of Contents:
Cover Page
Dedication
Introduction
"America"
"Christmas Hymn"
"Lines on the Death of J. Quincy Adams"
"To Cinque"
"New Year's Hymn"
"To A.H."
"Love"
"How Long"
"The Arch Apostate"
"The Misanthropist"
"A Hymn"
"Yes! strike again that sounding string"
"To -------"
"Prayer of the Oppressed"
"To S.A.T."
"Delusive Hope"
"To M.E.A."
"A Hymn"
"Self-Reliance"
"Ode for the Fourth of July"
"Midnight Musings"
"Ode to Music"
"Stanzas for the First of August"
"The North Star"
(text of all poems)

"Love"
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IN the bright dreams of early youth,
   I strung my lyre, and waked a strain,
In praise of friendship, love and truth,
   Without a thought of care or pain;
   But soon, in answer to my strain,
A voice came pealing from above;
   Sounding o’er valley, hill and plain ---
Where’s he that knows the power of love?

The brainless youth in lady’s bower,
   Who, sighing, chants some amorous lay,
Or twines a wreath, or plucks a flower,
   A tribute of his love to pay
   Or, mid the crowd, the gallant gay,
With witty jest, and jibe, and jeer,
   Spending in revelry and play
The few bright hours allowed him here,

Thinks that he knows what ‘t is to love ---
   Speaks of that pure and holy flame
Which emanates from God above,
   As though ‘t were nothing but a name
   That noble, pure, and holy flame,
Jehovah’s chiefest attribute,
   Implanted in the human frame,
Raised man above the sordid brute.

And he who ever feels its power,
Whate’er his station, high or low,
In pleasure’s or in sorrow’s hour,
Will feel his inmost bosom glow

With love to all, both friend and foe;
For God commandeth all to love,
And those who would his glories know,
Must learn this truth, that God is love.