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Title
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Transcription
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CHARTER-DAY POEM
QUARTER-CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
The hunter shook from his brown pipe the spark
That flashed into the dark
Of the knotted grass-roots, and grew strong and sprang
Into crackling flame, and it heard the wind that sang
Its keen dry wail o'er the prairies, and strengthened and grew
Till it flared to a league-long flame, and the scared birds flew,
Smoke-blinded before it, and the blundering buffalo fled
And the coyote quacked in his covert, and the Indian said:
"Tonight the God of the fire has raised his head!"
From the fire of ancient worlds a little spark, chance-shaken,
Fell on our alien plains, and spread alone,
And strengthened till it shone
World-wide; and nations said: When did it waken?
We saw not its birth, but today we see afar,
A flame that darkens the low sunset star,
And drives the huddled night
Cowering before the lances of its light.
For a voice cried in the ear
Of the West: Awake, for the future calls thee! Hear,
Child of the plain, today your limbs are strong,
Your eyes are radiant! Wake, for you sleep too long!
Wake, for the east hills quicken into day,
And the gray wind of morning calls to song!
Wake, for within your heart there glows
The prompting of the new-born soul,
Strenuous and tireless, quickening as it knows,
Far off, the destined goal!
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Rights
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To inquire about usage, please contact Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. These images are for educational use only. Not all images are available for publication.
