the leap from the long bridge.
81
From Columbia's glorious Capitol
Columbia's daughter flees
To the sanctuary God hath given,
The sheltering forest-trees.
Columbia's daughter flees
To the sanctuary God hath given,
The sheltering forest-trees.
Now she treads the Long Bridge,—joy lighteth her eye,—
Beyond her the dense wood and darkening sky;
Wild hopes thrill her breast as she neareth the shore,—
O despair!—there are men fast advancing before!
Shame, shame on their manhood!—they hear, they heed,
The cry her flight to stay,
And, like demon-forms, with their outstretched arms
They wait to seize their prey!
Beyond her the dense wood and darkening sky;
Wild hopes thrill her breast as she neareth the shore,—
O despair!—there are men fast advancing before!
Shame, shame on their manhood!—they hear, they heed,
The cry her flight to stay,
And, like demon-forms, with their outstretched arms
They wait to seize their prey!
She pauses, she turns,—ah! will she flee back?
Like wolves her pursuers howl loud on her track;
She lifteth to Heaven one look of despair,
Her anguish breaks forth in one hurried prayer.
Hark, her jailer's yell!—like a bloodhound's bay
On the low night-wind it sweeps!
Now death, or the chain!—to the stream she turns,
And; she leaps, O God, she leaps!
Like wolves her pursuers howl loud on her track;
She lifteth to Heaven one look of despair,
Her anguish breaks forth in one hurried prayer.
Hark, her jailer's yell!—like a bloodhound's bay
On the low night-wind it sweeps!
Now death, or the chain!—to the stream she turns,
And; she leaps, O God, she leaps!
