James M. Whitfield's America and Other Poems


  Table of Contents:
Cover Page
Dedication
Introduction
"America"
"Christmas Hymn"
"Lines on the death of J. Quincy Adams"
"To Cinque"
"New Year's Hymn"
"To A.H."
"Love"
"How Long"
"The Arch Apostate"
"The Misanthropist"
"A Hymn"
"Yes! strike again that sounding string"
"To -------"
"Prayer of the Oppressed"
"To S.A.T."
"Delusive Hope"
"To M.E.A."
"A Hymn"
"Self-Reliance"
"Ode for the Fourth of July"
"Midnight Musings"
"Ode to Music"
"Stanzas for the First of August"
"The North Star"
(text of all poems)

  Christmas Hymn p1
"Christmas Hymn"
close-up 1 | 2


Hail, glorious morn! whose radiant beams,
   Looked down on Christ’s nativity,
For every year thy presence teems
   With joy and glad festivity.

Christmas Hymn p2 On Judea’s plains th’ angelic throng
   Burst on the shepherds’ awe-struck gaze,
And raised on high a new-made song
   Unto their great Creator’s praise.

The star of Bethlehem’s heavenly light
   Guided the wise men from the east,
Who came to lay their power and might,
   Their wisdom, at the Saviour’s feet.

Oh, may that star’s resplendent light
   Continue o’er the world to shine,
Till nations now in Pagan night
   Shall worship at thy holy shrine.

Till all the people of the earth,
   From north to south, from east to west,
Hear tidings of the Saviour’s birth,
   And bow unto his great behest.

Till superstition’s blighting sway
   Shall flee before religion’s light,
As doth the glorious orb of day
   Disperse the shadows of the night.

Introduction Biography Contexts Critical Voices Teaching Approaches Bibliography