Poetry of and about Niagara Falls & the Niagara River – the waterfalls, the city, the history, the stunters, and everything else Niagara
Here fools from all lands take of gazing their fill,
In wonder that water will run down a hill.
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.
Crack Bard:
Stupendous river — mighty cataract!
You excite my wonder — that’s a fact.
I love the music of thy roaring
In awful torrents ever pouring.
No Bard:
Both truth and poetry — “that’s a fact” —
‘Tis truth indeed that you are crack’d;
That you’re a Bard is poetry,
Or in plain prose, an arrant lie.
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.
I’ll climb the mountain tops,
‡‡ And there I’ll gauge the weather;
I’ll wrench the rainbow from the clouds,
‡‡ And tie both ends together.
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.
I came from Wall Street,
To see this water sheet;
Having seen this water sheet,
I return to Wall Street.
July 24, 1847.
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.
Adieu, Niagara! I’m off for New York,
To measure out sugar, molasses and pork,
Next year I’ll return if I crib enough cash,
And it won’t be my fault if I don’t cut a dash.
I put up at the “Cataract,” but could not stop there —
The landlord and I were too much of a pair.
The owner of the Cataract House Hotel from 1825-1845 was Whitney Pankhurst, after that by son Solon Whitney and sons-in-law James Trott and Dexter Jerauld.
Read about the role of the Cataract House Hotel in the Underground Railroad.
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.