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Poems Every Child Should Know

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<h3>Columbus.</h3> <div class="pre_poem">We are greatly indebted to Joaquin Miller for his "Sail On! Sail On!" Endurance is the watchword of the poem and the watchword of our republic. Every man to his gun! Columbus discovered America in his own mind before he realised it or proved its existence. I have often drawn a chart of Columbus's life and voyages to show what need he had of the motto "Sail On!" to accomplish his end. This is one of our greatest American poems. The writer still lives in California. </div> <table class="poem" summary="poem"><tr><td><div class="stanza"> Behind him lay the gray Azores, Behind the gates of Hercules; Before him not the ghost of shores, Before him only shoreless seas. The good mate said: "Now must we pray, For lo! the very stars are gone; Speak, Admiral, what shall I say?" "Why say, sail on! and on!" </div> <div class="stanza"> "My men grow mut'nous day by day; My men grow ghastly wan and weak." The stout mate thought of home; a spray Of salt wave wash'd his swarthy cheek. "What shall I say, brave Admiral, If we sight naught but seas at dawn?" "Why, you shall say, at break of day: 'Sail on! sail on! and on!'" </div> <div class="stanza"> They sailed and sailed, as winds might blow, Until at last the blanch'd mate said; "Why, now, not even God would know Should I and all my men fall dead. These very winds forget their way, For God from these dread seas is gone. Now speak, brave Admiral, and say——" He said: "Sail on! and on!" </div> <div class="stanza"> They sailed, they sailed, then spoke his mate: "This mad sea shows his teeth to-night, He curls his lip, he lies in wait, With lifted teeth as if to bite! Brave Admiral, say but one word; What shall we do when hope is gone?" The words leaped as a leaping sword: "Sail on! sail on! and on!" </div> <div class="stanza"> Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck, And thro' the darkness peered that night. Ah, darkest night! and then a speck,— A light! a light! a light! a light! It grew—a star-lit flag unfurled! It grew to be Time's burst of dawn; He gained a world! he gave that world Its watch-word: "On! and on!" </div> </td></tr></table> Joaquin Miller. <h3>The Shepherd of King Admetus.</h3> <div class="pre_poem">Once a year the children learn "The Shepherd of King Admetus," which is one of the finest poems ever written as showing the possible growth of real history into mythology, the tendency of mankind to deify what is fine or sublime in human action. Not every child will learn this entire poem, because it is too long. But every child will learn the best lines in it while the children are teaching it to me and when I take my turn in teaching it to them. No child fails to catch the spirit and intent of the poem and to become entirely familiar with it. (1819-91.) </div> <table class="poem" summary="poem"><tr><td><div class="stanza"> There came a youth upon the earth, Some thousand years ago, Whose slender hands were nothing worth, Whether to plow, or reap, or sow. </div> <div class="stanza"> Upon an empty tortoise-shell He stretched some chords, and drew Music that made men's bosoms swell Fearless, or brimmed their eyes with dew. </div> <div class="stanza"> Then King Admetus, one who had Pure taste by right divine, Decreed his singing not too bad To hear between the cups of wine: </div> <div class="stanza"> And so, well pleased with being soothed Into a sweet half-sleep, Three times his kingly beard he smoothed, And made him viceroy o'er his sheep. </div> <div class="stanza"> His words were simple words enough, And yet he used them so, That what in other mouths was rough In his seemed musical and low. </div> <div class="stanza"> Men called him but a shiftless youth, In whom no good they saw; And yet, unwittingly, in truth, They made his careless words their law. </div> <div class="stanza"> They knew not how he learned at all, For idly, hour by hour, He sat and watched the dead leaves fall, Or mused upon a common flower. </div> <div class="stanza"> It seemed the loveliness of things Did teach him all their use, For, in mere weeds, and stones, and springs, He found a healing power profuse. </div> <div class="stanza"> Men granted that his speech was wise, But, when a glance they caught Of his slim grace and woman's eyes, They laughed, and called him good-for-naught. </div> <div class="stanza"> Yet after he was dead and gone, And e'en his memory dim, Earth seemed more sweet to live upon, More full of love, because of him. </div> <div class="stanza"> And day by day more holy grew Each spot where he had trod, Till after-poets only knew Their first-born brother as a god. </div> </td></tr></table> James Russell Lowell. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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