Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE PASSING OF THE OLD VERMONT MEETINGHOUSE, by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY Poet's Biography First Line: As I go up and down these days Last Line: Of course, must pass away. Subject(s): Churches; Public Meetings; Vermont; Cathedrals | ||||||||
AS I go up and down these days Amongst Vermont's delightful people, I seldom hear a single word About the meetinghouse or steeple; The meetinghouse and steeple, too, It seems are "bending low" today The old white-steepled meetinghouse Is passing fast away. It's hard to tell the churches now By either looks or situation, For some are built like concert halls, And others like a railroad station; There's arches, apses, foyers, foils, And festooned fonts in fine array The old white-steepled meetinghouse Has almost passed away. How grand they stood upon the hills, Or at the township's windy center! How self-respecting were the folks That came for miles their courts to enter! The "closest workmen" in the parts, They built the pulpits, so they say Too bad the churchliest church of all Is passing fast away. How grand they stood upon the hills, And also in the village valleys! What sign-posts of the soul they were, What ways and means for "inward" rallies! How quick their slender steeples caught The early morn's flirtatious ray! Too bad the churchliest church of all Is marked to pass away. What art the old-time builders used, The Wrennish spire, the Doric pillar! The hand-made pews of fragrant pine Unvexed by stain or "Sweedish filler:" They lay upon the landscape's lap, Like jewels on a lady's tray Those temples with their stately spires, A-doomed to pass away. I wonder what we stand for now, We folks whose forbears separated From too much forma-scrambling back To just the things our forbears hated? We've even got a "service" up, We often read the prayers we pray The old white-steepled meetinghouse, Of course, must pass away. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VIRGIN IN GLASS by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF: 3. FEEDING THE RABBITS by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR EXPLICATION OF AN IMAGINARY TEXT by JAMES GALVIN DOMESDAY BOOK: FATHER WHIMSETT by EDGAR LEE MASTERS HALF-AND-HALF by NAOMI SHIHAB NYE AT THE CHURCH DOOR by GEORGE SANTAYANA A VERMONT 'DONATION' by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY |
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