Lake Winnipesaukee Poems

Rattlesnake Gal · 11-20-2004, 03:02 PM

This is a nice thread for the poetry lovers out there. Not exactly sure where I found these ones.

POEMS OF PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE
1830-1886

LAKE WINNIPISEOGEE

ONE day the River of Life flowed o'er
The verge of heaven's enchanted shore,
And falling without lapse or break.
Its waters formed this wondrous lake.

Hence the far sheen of Eden palms
Is mirrored in its silvery calms,
And all its rich cerulean dyes
Are deep as Raphael's splendid eyes.

And hence the unimagined grace
Which sanctifies this lonely place,--
A subtle, soft, ethereal spell
Of light and sound ineffable.

Surely such tempered glory paints
The mystic City of the Saints;
Such music breathes its dying falls
Above the heavenly palace walls.

O lake of peace! whose still expanse
Gleams through a golden-misted trance,
Earth holds thee sacred and apart,
The cloistered darling of her heart.

LAKE MISTS
[Composed near Lake Winnipiseogee.]

AS I gazed on the prospect enchanted,
On waves the sun-glory had kissed,
There slowly swept down from the distance,
The phantom-like bands of the mist.

On their feet that were spectrally soundless,
They glided fantastic and chill
While a prescient pallor crept over
The beauty of lake-side and hill!

All nature grew cold at their advent!
Like Thugs of the air, demon-born,
With their coils of blue vapor they strangled
The virgin effulgence of morn.

By that ambush of darkness was girdled
Each bright beam in dreary embrace,
Till the fairest young dawn of September
Lay wan on her death-shadowed face.

When wildly and weirdly from sea-ward,
A low wind how mournfully stole!
Like all anthem outbreathed for the morning,
Thus sternly divorced from her soul!

mcdude · 12-05-2004, 12:58 PM

Hey RG:
I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we've missed you on the forum and on photopost. I hope that back is better soon! When you posted this I made a mental note to find that issue of the Weirs Times that was up at the cottage. It appears that Whittier is the poet most associated with the lake. I've tried to get through some of the Whittier poems mentioned in the article....quite arduous reading and they don't seem to have a lot to do with the lake. They mentioned that Robert Frost was also at the lake. However, he lived in Franconia and Derry and I'm not sure that any of his works are specifically about the lake. He is one of my favorites.

Here is some Whittier stuff that is about the lake.

' "THE WOOD GIANT"
From Alton Bay to Sandwich Dome,
From Mad to Saco River,
For patriarchs if the primal wood
We sought with vain endeavor.

At last to us a woodland path,
To open sunset leading
Revealed the Anakim of pines,
Our wildest wish exceeding.

Alone the level sun before;
Below the lake's green islands;
Beyond, in misty distance dim,
The rugged Northern Highlands.

Dark Titan on his Sunset Hill
Of time and change defiant!
How dwarfed the common woodland seemed,
Before the old-time giant.

Here's another....

The shadows round the inland sea
Are deepening into night;
Slow up the slopes of Ossipee
They chase the lessening light.

Tired of the long day's blinding heat;
I rest my languid eye,
Lake of the Hills! where, cool and sweet
Thy sunset waters lie!

Along the sky, in wavy lines,
O'er isle and reach and bay,
Green belted with eternal pines
The mountains stretch away.

Whittier Falls and Bridge - Ossipee Lake Park.

__________________________________________________ _

E. Palmer Clarke Poem from his 1935 book "Winnipesaukee - A Potpourri"

11-20-2004, 03:02 PM	#1
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,252 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,451 Thanked 1,349 Times in 475 Posts	Lake Winnipesaukee Poems This is a nice thread for the poetry lovers out there. Not exactly sure where I found these ones. POEMS OF PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE 1830-1886 LAKE WINNIPISEOGEE ONE day the River of Life flowed o'er The verge of heaven's enchanted shore, And falling without lapse or break. Its waters formed this wondrous lake. Hence the far sheen of Eden palms Is mirrored in its silvery calms, And all its rich cerulean dyes Are deep as Raphael's splendid eyes. And hence the unimagined grace Which sanctifies this lonely place,-- A subtle, soft, ethereal spell Of light and sound ineffable. Surely such tempered glory paints The mystic City of the Saints; Such music breathes its dying falls Above the heavenly palace walls. O lake of peace! whose still expanse Gleams through a golden-misted trance, Earth holds thee sacred and apart, The cloistered darling of her heart. LAKE MISTS [Composed near Lake Winnipiseogee.] AS I gazed on the prospect enchanted, On waves the sun-glory had kissed, There slowly swept down from the distance, The phantom-like bands of the mist. On their feet that were spectrally soundless, They glided fantastic and chill While a prescient pallor crept over The beauty of lake-side and hill! All nature grew cold at their advent! Like Thugs of the air, demon-born, With their coils of blue vapor they strangled The virgin effulgence of morn. By that ambush of darkness was girdled Each bright beam in dreary embrace, Till the fairest young dawn of September Lay wan on her death-shadowed face. When wildly and weirdly from sea-ward, A low wind how mournfully stole! Like all anthem outbreathed for the morning, Thus sternly divorced from her soul!

12-05-2004, 12:58 PM	#2
mcdude Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rock Haven Lake - West Newfield, ME Posts: 5,367 Thanks: 374 Thanked 1,057 Times in 495 Posts	John Greenleaf Whittier and E. Palmer Clarke Hey RG: I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we've missed you on the forum and on photopost. I hope that back is better soon! When you posted this I made a mental note to find that issue of the Weirs Times that was up at the cottage. It appears that Whittier is the poet most associated with the lake. I've tried to get through some of the Whittier poems mentioned in the article....quite arduous reading and they don't seem to have a lot to do with the lake. They mentioned that Robert Frost was also at the lake. However, he lived in Franconia and Derry and I'm not sure that any of his works are specifically about the lake. He is one of my favorites. Here is some Whittier stuff that is about the lake. ' "THE WOOD GIANT" From Alton Bay to Sandwich Dome, From Mad to Saco River, For patriarchs if the primal wood We sought with vain endeavor. At last to us a woodland path, To open sunset leading Revealed the Anakim of pines, Our wildest wish exceeding. Alone the level sun before; Below the lake's green islands; Beyond, in misty distance dim, The rugged Northern Highlands. Dark Titan on his Sunset Hill Of time and change defiant! How dwarfed the common woodland seemed, Before the old-time giant. Here's another.... The shadows round the inland sea Are deepening into night; Slow up the slopes of Ossipee They chase the lessening light. Tired of the long day's blinding heat; I rest my languid eye, Lake of the Hills! where, cool and sweet Thy sunset waters lie! Along the sky, in wavy lines, O'er isle and reach and bay, Green belted with eternal pines The mountains stretch away. Whittier Falls and Bridge - Ossipee Lake Park. __________________________________________________ _ E. Palmer Clarke Poem from his 1935 book "Winnipesaukee - A Potpourri" Last edited by mcdude; 05-24-2005 at 11:23 AM.