Category: Niagara Falls Poetry

Untitled by A.U.Z.

Land of my birth! land of the “stripes and stars!”
Studious of peace, victorious in thy wars!
How has my bosom swelled with patriot pride,
To think no rival could thy fame divide.
Oft as I’ve climb’d thy summit’s loftiest mounts,
And traced thy mightiest rivers to their founts,
Or braved the fury of thy inland waves,
Or sought the depths of thy capacious caves —
How has my heart exclaimed, “Land of the free,
What matchless wonders centre all in thee!”

With thoughts like these I sought these Western shores,
Where Niagara’s stream its current pours.
I passed the rapids to the Isle of Goats,
(But saw no creature save the cows and shoats);
Toiled up the turret, walked beneath the cliff,
And crossed the foaming waters in a skiff;
Rode up the bank, and stood on Table Rock,
Felt the earth’s tremor at the wondrous shock!
But here for thee I felt a thrill of shame —
No conscious triumph warmed my drizzled frame.
My pride was humbled, and my boast was small;
For England’s King has got the fiercest Fall!

United States, June 1, 1836.

Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848

This link takes you to the scanned version of  the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust

See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Album on this site.

Religion by A.R.P.

From hallowed shrines let holy incense rise,
In wreathing volumes to the azure skies,
To speak the grateful homage of the soul,
When man would own his Maker’s high control.

But spices spread upon the marble mound,
Or perfumes scattered on the humble ground,
Or prostate head, or bended knees alone,
Find no acceptance at the heavenly throne.

So costly churches and the glittering dome,
May prove that wealth hath found religion’s home,
But Nature’s wonders must inspire the heart,
That worships God by love and not by art.

Vain are the hymns which feeble choirs may raise,
Compared with Nature’s all pervading praise;
So like the praises of Niagara’s roar,
Our praise should rise from this forevermore.

For ‘t is the heart devoted and sincere,
Bowing in grateful love and holy fear —
The up-turned eye with an imploring gaze,
The heart-felt prayer, the joyous song of praise.

‘Tis the firm faith, the conduct free from guile,
The mind exempt from thoughts that may defile,
The strict obedience to our Maker’s laws —
That prove the votaries of religion’s cause.

Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848

This link takes you to the scanned version of  the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust

See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Album on this site.

Untitled by A.H.

Sit by this roaring surge,
‡‡Thou whom scorn wasteth;
And let thy musings be
‡‡Where the Flood hasteth.
Mark, on its troubled breast,
Rolls the white billows’ crest:
So deem his thoughts unrest,
‡‡Who of love tasteth.

Smile thou, O greatly wise;
‡‡And if fate sever
Bonds which the heart doth prize,
‡‡So was it ever.
Deep as the rolling seas,
Soft as the twilight breeze;
But of more truth than these,
‡‡Boast could love never.

Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848

This link takes you to the scanned version of  the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust

See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Album on this site.

To the Atheist by Anonymous

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡Almighty God!
The waters sing to Thee in awful praise;
Their mighty voice, in bursting thunder says.
‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡“Believe in God!”

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡Eternal God!
The sun was dark ― earth paled at its eclipse―
A still awe said, as if from angel’s lips:
‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡“Believe in God!”

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡“Believe in God!”
Myriads of worlds, in their eternal speed,
Hymn to their spheres the soul-exalting creed ―
‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡“Believe in God!”

Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848

This link takes you to the scanned version of  the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust

See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Album on this site.

Untitled by A.N.C.

poem
Paper Mills at Entrance to Goat Island sketched by Ferdinand Ferdinand. Image Courtesy of Niagara Falls Public Library 

Niagara ! to thee
‡‡‡‡My spectacles I turn !
I see the waters boil,
‡‡‡‡As if all . . . did burn,
And Satan’s imps, with ardour hot,
Were thrusting wood beneath the pot.

‡‡‡‡O what a deaf’ning noise
Thy tortur’d waters make !
‡‡‡‡The thunders of thy voice
Kept me all night awake :
I could but hear the lumbering sound,
When all were sunk in sleep profound.

‡‡‡‡And then what clouds of spray
Bedim my weaken’d sight ;
‡‡‡‡And then, in light of day,
Bring rainbows to my sight :
Well might poor Snip thus make his note —
“Mem — What a place to spunge a coat !”

‡‡‡‡And then, O what a waste
Of water-power is here !
‡‡‡‡‘Twould move ten thousand water-wheels,
And run them thro’ the year !
Well might the Yankee say — “be still —
Oh what a place to build a mill.”

 

Source: Dr. Thomas Rolph. A Brief Account, Together With Observations, Made During a Visit in the West Indies, and a Tour Through the United States of America, in Parts of the Years 1832-3; Together With a Statistical Account of Upper Canada. Dundas, U.C. : G. Heyworth Hackstaff, Printer, 1836.

Rolph mentions this poem was written in the Table Rock Album; it is not published in Thomas & Lathrop’s excerpts from the Table Rock Album. Rolph would have been looking at the original. See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Albums