LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 D0DD5^t.HaST 
 

 » . 1 • AT 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 » r 1 
 
 P/ \;«-\/ V'^-%°' V^-/ -^"^-^ 
 
 
 
.' ^^'\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 .^^ 
 
 
 V^ r " • ", 
 
 
 c 
 
 
 'rV " 'O 
 
 
 
 -r-lA'-y ^) 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 <^^. 
 
 > 
 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 v^^ 
 
 ^c 
 
 Vc 
 
 
 
 ^"^'V'. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C51S 
 
 THE 
 
 SONG OF THE SOWER 
 
<i 3/^^,/f- 
 
 THE 
 
 SON^G OF THE SOA^EE 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM CULLEX BRYANT. 
 
 JUustratcd luitli Fartij-twa Kngrauings on llJaod. 
 
 / 
 
 NEW YOPvK: 
 D. ATPLETON & COMPANY. 
 
 MDCCCLXXI. 
 
'A 
 
 \r. \ 
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by 
 
 D. APPLETON & CO., 
 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTEATIOI^S. 
 
 ENGRAVER. TAGT. 
 
 " The maples redden in the sun," 
 " Rest, faithful plough," 
 " Loose the tired steer," 
 
 'GRiswOLn. ' Quartly. 
 
 Fexx. '^Harley. 
 
 Henxesst. '^Linton. 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 " — early bluebirds sing," 
 
 vBrsHiXG. Filmcr. 
 
 12 
 
 " The harvest that o'erflows the vale," 'Hows. 
 
 Langrid<je. 
 
 "The song of him who binds the grain," ^Hexxesst. 'LinUm. 
 
 14 
 
 ' — from the distant grange," 
 
 Fexx. 
 
 K<n-^t. 
 
 15 
 
 " — the millstone hums 
 Do^vn in the willowy vale," Fexx., 
 
 -Harlcy. 
 
 16 
 
 " — harvest for the tented field," 
 
 Homer. Kard. 
 
 17 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 EXGRAVEK. PAOE 
 
 feel ye not your fingers thrill," ^Xehlig. Flhner 
 
 18 
 
 ■ Flowed till the herds, on Mincio's brink," 'Homer. Edmonds. 
 
 10 
 
 — chieftains to the war shall lead," ^Nehug. 
 
 Filmcr. 
 
 20 
 
 " And lay the sword away,'" 
 
 ^Hows. 
 
 Lhitoii. 
 
 21 
 
 "Oh strew, with pausing, shuddering hand," "Hennesst. L'mton. 
 
 " — strew with free and joyous sweep," Fenn., ^Harlei/. 
 
 ' Strew the bright seed for those who tear 
 The matted sward," Hennessy. 
 
 Linton. 
 
 24 
 
 "And those whose sounding axes gleam," Hennessy. Linton. 
 
 " And him who brealvs the quarry-ledge," Hennessy. Karst. 
 
 "And him who with the steady sledge," Hennessy. Linton. 
 
 " The roof-trees of our swarming race," Fenn^ ' Harleij. 
 
 " The lengthening street," Fenn.^ ' Harlnj. 
 
 " For the brave men that climb the mast," Fenn. , Filmer. 
 
 " — for those who throw 
 
 The clanking shuttle to and fro," Homer. Kavst. 
 
 6 
 
 24 
 
 26 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 A pallid sisterhood, that keep 
 The lonely lamp alight," 
 
 ENGRAVKR 
 
 ■ Hennesst. Linton. 
 
 30 
 
 nuirmunng harp and viol's strings," IIennessy. Linton. 
 
 81 
 
 Welcome of the wedding guest," 
 
 " Shipwrecked men, 
 Who, hunger-worn," 
 
 ■Hennessy. Lintoh 
 
 Fexn. 
 
 Fihner. 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 ■Wanderers lost in woodlands drear," Pekkins. Langriclge. 
 
 ' — close alle3's of the town," 
 
 IIennessy. Linton. 
 
 35 
 
 In chill roof-chambers, bleak anJ bare," IIennessy Linton. 
 
 36 
 
 Fill the rich ears that shade the mould," Hows. Edmonds 
 
 37 
 
 ■ The mystic loaf that crowns the board," IIows. 
 
 ■ The seed is in its winter bed," 
 
 • Griswold. 
 
 "As when the mother, from her breast," IIennessy. 
 
 Fay. 
 
 Ilarleij. 
 
 Linton. 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 ■ The tempest now may smite," 
 
 'Griswold. Linton. 
 
 " Of winter breathe the bitter cold," Fenn. Quartly, 
 
 •' Shall walk again the genial year," ■ Griswold. Edmonds. 
 
 7 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 ESGBATER. PAGE 
 
 "The life which wakes aud that which sleeps," Hows. ^ Harley. 44 
 
 " — watches o'er the sparrow's nest," Hows. Lamjridge. 45 
 
 " Wherever, o'er the waiting earth, 
 
 Roads wind and rivers flow," "Fenx. -Harlcy. 46 
 
 " — mighty marts beyond the sea," Tess. ' Harlcy. 4T 
 
 " — where palm-groves sound," -^Fenn. Kbtydon. 48 
 
THE SOI^G OF THE SOWEE. 
 
 f'-\ 
 
 The ina})les rudden in the sun ; 
 In autnnm nold the beeches stand 
 
--rr> — -^. 
 Rest, faithful ])louo;h, 
 
 tliy work ib done 
 
 Upon the teeming land. 
 
 Bordered with ti-ee-^ whobe 
 gay leaves iij 
 
 On every breath that sweeps 
 the sky, 
 
 The fresh dark acres fur- 
 rowed lie, 
 
 And ask the sower'b hand. 
 
 
 ^^-rf% 
 

 
 
 ' ""'is 
 
 '%<T* 
 
 Loo'^e the tii-ed ^teer and let 
 
 him <2,() 
 To ])<i^ture ^^herc tlie gentians 
 
 hh)^\, 
 And ^^c, "who till tlic gratefnl 
 
 ground, 
 Fling we the golden shower 
 
 around. 
 
n. 
 
 Fling; wide tlie generous grain ; we liing 
 O'er tlie dark mould tlie green of f^pring. 
 For tliiek tlie emerald blades shall grow, 
 When lirst the Mareh winds melt the snow, 
 And to the slee}ting llowers, below, 
 The early bluebirds sing. 
 
Fliiii!: wide tlie grain ; we i^-ive the lielclis 
 
 The ears that nod in summer's i!:ale, 
 The sliinino; stems tliat summer ij^ihls, 
 
 
 
 The harvest that o'erlluws the vale, 
 And swells, an amber sea, l)etween 
 The full-leaved woctds, its shores ()t'i;'reen. 
 
 13 
 
Hark ! from the murmuring clods I hear 
 Glad voices of the coming year ; 
 The song of him who binds the grain, 
 The shout of those that load the wain, 
 14 
 
And from the distant grange tliere conies 
 Tlie clatter of the thresher's flail. 
 
III. 
 
 Fling wide tlie golden shower ; we trnst 
 The strength of armies to the dust, 
 This peaceful lea may haply yield 
 Its harvest for the tented field. 
 
Ila ! feel ^ye not your fingers thrill, 
 As o'er them, in the yellow grains, 
 
 Glide the warm drops of blood that fill, 
 For mortal strife, the warrior's veins ; 
 
Sucli as, on Sulleriiio's day, 
 Slaked the brown sand and flowed away ;— 
 Flowed till the herds, on Mineio's hriiik, 
 Snnfted the red stream and feared to drink 
 Blood that in deeper pools shall lie. 
 
 On the sad earth, as time grows gray, 
 When men by deadlier arts shall die. 
 And deeper darkness blot the sky 
 Above the thnndering fray ; 
 
And realms, that liear tlie battle-cry, 
 
 Sliall sicken with dismay ; 
 And chieftains to the war shall lead 
 Whole nations, with the tempest's s])eed, 
 To perish in a day ; — 
 
oil strew, with pausing-, slnulderiiig liand, 
 
 Tlie seed upon the helpless land, 
 
 As if, at every step, ye cast 
 
 The pelting hail and riving blast. 
 
IV. 
 
 Kay, strew, with free and joyous sweep, 
 The seed upon the expecting soil ; 
 
 For hence the plenteous year shall heap 
 The crarners of the men who toil. 
 
Strew the Lriglit seed for those who tear 
 The matted sward with spade and share, 
 
 
 And those whose sonnding axes gleam 
 Beside the lonely forest-stream, 
 Till its hroad banks lie bare ; 
 
And him who Ijreaks the <|iiaiTy-ledge, 
 
 AVith hamnier-l)lows, plied quick and strong, 
 
 And him who, with the steady sledge. 
 Smites the shrill anvil all dav lono-. 
 
Sprinkle the fiurow's even trace 
 
 For those whose toiling hands nprear 
 
 The roof-trees of our swanning race, 
 
 By grove and plain, by stream and ;, 
 mere 
 

 AVlio fortli, from crowded city, lead 
 The leiigtlieiiiiio: street, and overlay 
 
 Green orchard plot and grassy mead 
 With ])avement oftlie mnrmnriiicr war 
 
Ca.st, with full IuukLs, the hai'\ e.st ca.st, 
 For the brave men that climb the mast, 
 Wlien to tlie billow and the blast 
 
 It swings and stoops, with fearful strain, 
 And l)ind the fluttering mainsail fast. 
 Till the tossed l)ark shall sit again. 
 Safe as a sea-bird in the main. 
 
V. 
 
 Fling wide the grain for those who throw 
 The clanking shnttle to and Iro, 
 In the long row of humming rooms, 
 
 jf^w friT^ 
 
 And into ponderous masses wind 
 The web that, from a thousand looms, 
 Comes forth to clothe mankind. 
 
 2q 
 
Strew, with free sweep, the grain \\>i- them 
 
 By whom the busy thread, 
 xViong; the garment's even hem 
 
 And winding seam, is led ; 
 A pallid sisterhood, that keep 
 
 The lonely lamp alight. 
 In strife with weariness and sleej). 
 
 Beyond the middle night. 
 Large part be theirs in what the year 
 Shall ripen for the reaper here. 
 
VI. 
 
 Still, strew, with joyous hand, the wheat 
 On the soft mould heneath our feet, 
 
 For even now I seem 
 To hear a sound that lii;iitly riu<4-s 
 Fi'om murmui'iuo- liai']) and violV strino:s. 
 
 As ill ;i summer dream. 
 
sS^^"^ 
 
 -^1 
 
 i^^~ ^Ss-\-^ M/r '^i ' -^'1^*^ weleoiue ol tlie wedding 
 
 guest, 
 ^'i^ ^ The bridegroom's look of 
 basliful j^ride, 
 ) The faint smile of the pallid 
 bride. 
 
 'M 
 
Scatter the wlieat for sliipwreeked men, 
 Wlio, hunger-worn, rejoice again 
 In the sweet safet^y of tlie shore, 
 
And wanderers, lost in woodlands drear, 
 Whose pulses bonnd with joy to hear 
 Tlie lierdV light hell once more. 
 
 34 
 
Freely the golden spray lie slied 
 For liim wliose heart, when night conies down 
 On the close alleys of the town. 
 
 Is faint for lack of bread. 
 
Ill chill roof cliambers, bleak and bare, 
 Or the damp cellar's stifling air, 
 Sbe wlio now sees, in mute despair, 
 Her children pine for food, 
 
 Shall feel the dewa of gladness start 
 To lids long tearless, and shall part 
 The sweet loaf, with a grateful heart, 
 Among her thin, pale brood. 
 
 36 
 
VIII. 
 
 Strew silently the fruitful seed, 
 As softly o'er the tilth ye tread. 
 
 For hands that delicately knead 
 The consecrated bread. 
 
 The mystic loaf that crowns the board, 
 When, round the table of their Lord, 
 
 Within a thousand temples set. 
 In memory of the bitter death 
 Of Him who taught at Nazareth, 
 
 His followers are met, 
 And thoughtful eyes with tears are wet. 
 
 As of the Holy One they think, 
 The glory of whose rising, yet 
 
 Makes bright the grave's mysterious brink. 
 38 
 
IX. 
 
 Bretliren, the sower's task is done. 
 The seed is in its winter bed. 
 ISTow let the dark-brown mould l)e s])read, 
 
 To hide it from the sun, 
 And leave it to the kindly eare 
 Of the still earth and broodino; air. 
 
 39 
 
As wlien the niotlier, from her breast, 
 Lays the hushed babe apart to rest, 
 
 And shades its eyes and waits to see 
 How sweet its w^aking smile will be. 
 
The teinpe^^t now may smite, the .•^leet 
 All iiiii'lit on the di'owiied furrow beat, 
 
And winds that, from the cloudy liold, 
 ( )f Avinter breathe the bitter eohl, 
 
 Stiffen to stone the mellow monld. 
 Yet safe shall lie the wheat ; 
 
To wake witli wariiitli and nurse with dew, 
 The genns we lay to slumber here. 
 
X, 
 
 Oh blessed harvest yet to he ! 
 
 Abide thou with the love that keeps, 
 In its warm bosom, tenderly, 
 
 The life which wakes and that which sleeps. 
 
x^- i. 
 
 rt«/ 
 
 % 
 
 
 The love tliat leads the willing spheres 
 Along the unending track of years, 
 And watches o'er the sparrow's nest, 
 Shall brood above thy wnnter i-est, 
 
 And raise thee from the dust, to hold 
 Light whisperings with the winds of May, 
 
l(i^ 
 
 
 And till tliy spikes 
 
 with living gold, 
 From Bumnier's 
 
 yellow raj, 
 Then, as thy garners 
 
 give thee forth, 
 On what glad errands 
 
 shalt thon go, 
 AVherever, o'er the 
 
 waiting earth, 
 lloads wind and 
 
 rivers flow. 
 
 46 
 
 
The ancient East sliall welcome tliee 
 To niio-lity marts heyond tlie sea,- 
 
And they who dwell where palm-groves sound 
 To summer winds the whole year round, 
 Shall watch, in gladness, from the shore, 
 The sails that bring thy glistening store. 
 
 C 32' 89 
 

<* 
 
 ^A cr .••'** *c> 
 
 i^ 
 
 4^ ' "*" -^ '^ 
 
 c^^ 
 
 ■ ^^ o^ 
 
 .uc^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 v 
 
 ' . I * C V 
 
 '^'^^^ 
 
 c" * 
 
 '"-o 
 
 
 :^s° ^^ 
 
 c-^^' 
 
 
 N. MANCHESTER, 
 INDIANA 46962 
 
 
 .0^ 
 
 
 
 
 ^* -N /^ ■ ..*-\v\\:s^ » /\ 
 

 .,,;,. ■.,!„i.;.g!i,.;; 
 
 ii-;'S;''l' .'.\sl*V;''-i;l'i;i-;V'^:iii;V,-uV,!;:rV--'i;i-;rAl'/Ji>":,il;y^ 
 
 hi' y^i^- iXii P;i'5SH!H=ki^s^