They who think on earth they may not find
An ideal man nor woman of their kind.
But from some other Race that ideal take—
All these must die before the Morning break!
We know, O Lord, that there will come a time,
When o’er the World will dawn the Age Sublime,
When Truth shall call to all mankind to stand
Before Thy throne as Brothers, hand in hand,
Be not displeased with him who this song makes—
All these must die before the Morning breaks!
If lyric poetry be self-revealment—and such it is, or it is nothing—we can learn from the following poem how deep a sorrow at some time in his life this poet must have experienced:
HOPELESSNESS
Had you called from the fire, or from the sea,
From ’mid the roaring flames, or dark’ning wave.
With eagerness I then had come to thee,
To perish with thee if I could not save.
But now helpless I sit and watch you die,
There is no power can save, the doctors say;
I lift my eyes unto the silent sky,
And wonder why it is that mortals pray.
The title-poem of the booklet, Negro Soldiers, is no doubt Jamison’s masterpiece. It is worthy of the universal admiration it has won from those who know it.
