ON ENTERING THE MAMMOTH CAVE.
Hush! for my heart-blood curdles as we enter
To glide in gloom these shadowy realms about;
Oh! what a scene the round globe to its centre,
To form this awful cave, seems hollowed out!
Yet pause—no mystic word hath yet been spoken
To win us entrance to this awful sphere—
A whispered prayer must be our watchword token,
And peace—like that around us—peace unbroken
The passport here.
To glide in gloom these shadowy realms about;
Oh! what a scene the round globe to its centre,
To form this awful cave, seems hollowed out!
Yet pause—no mystic word hath yet been spoken
To win us entrance to this awful sphere—
A whispered prayer must be our watchword token,
And peace—like that around us—peace unbroken
The passport here.
And now farewell, ye birds and blossoms tender,
Ye glistening leaves by morning dews empearled,
And you, ye beams that light with softened splendor,
The glimmering glories of yon outer world!
While thus we pause these silent arches under,
To you and yours a wild farewell we wave,
For oh! perhaps this awful spot may sunder
Our hearts from all we love—this world of wonder
May be our grave.
Ye glistening leaves by morning dews empearled,
And you, ye beams that light with softened splendor,
The glimmering glories of yon outer world!
While thus we pause these silent arches under,
To you and yours a wild farewell we wave,
For oh! perhaps this awful spot may sunder
Our hearts from all we love—this world of wonder
May be our grave.
And yet farewell! the faintly flickering torches
Light our lone footsteps o'er the silent sod;
And now all hail ye everlasting arches,
Ye dark dominions of an unseen God!
Light our lone footsteps o'er the silent sod;
And now all hail ye everlasting arches,
Ye dark dominions of an unseen God!
