But yesterday--the exulting nation's shout
Swelled on the breeze of victory through our streets,
But yesterday--our banners flaunted out
Like flowers the south wind woos from their retreats;
Flowers of the nation, blue, and white, and red,
Waving from balcony, and spire, and mast;
Which told us that war's wintry storm had fled,
And spring was more than spring to us at last.
Today the nation's heart lies crushed and weak;
Drooping and draped in black our banners stand.
Too stunned to cry revenge, we scarce may speak
The grief that chokes all utterance through the land.
God is in all. With tears our eyes are dim,
Yet strive through darkness to look to Him!
No, not in vain he died--not all in vain,
Our good, great President! This people's hands
Are linked together in one mighty chain
Drawn tighter still in triple-woven bands
To crush the fiends in human masks, whose might
We suffer, oh, too long! No league, nor truce
Save men with men! The devils we must fight
With fire! God wills it in this deed. This use
We draw from the most impious murder done
Since Calvary. Rise then, O Countrymen!
Scatter these marsh-lights hopes of Union won
Through pardoning clemency. Strike, strike again!
Draw closer round the foe a girdling flame.
We are stabbed whene'er we spare--strike in God's name!
[Illustration: STATUE OF LINCOLN
Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Randolph Rogers,
sculptor. Unveiled November 26, 1869]
George Henry Boker, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 6th day
of October, 1823. Graduated at Princeton in 1842, and afterward
studied law. In the year 1847, after his return from an extended tour
in Europe, he published _The Lessons of Life and Other Poems_. He also
produced a number of plays which were successfully produced upon the
stage, both in England and America. During the War of the Rebellion he
wrote a number of patriotic lyrics, collected and published in a
volume under the title of _Poems of the War_. He has also written
other poems and articles in prose which have received high praise.
In the year 1871 he was appointed by President Grant as our United
States Minister to Turkey, but in 1875 was transferred to the more
important Mission of Russia.