| 911 POETRY.
For the Times and Seasons.
THE VENERABLE LUCY SMITH:
BY MISS ELIZA R. SNOW
The aged, venerated, much belov'd The Islands of the sea.
Mother in Zion, and the mother of She once beheld
The greatest men this generation had Her lord, her consort dragg'd to prison while
To boast. One, only one, of all her sons With tears and supplicating words, she plead
Survives-the other sleep the sleep of death! His innocence, and begg'd for his release.
The great anointed seer and prophet, she "Commit the Book of Mormon to the flames"
Has nurs'd upon her bosom and has watch'd Replied the "officer of justice" "and
In helpless, cradled infancy: her heart Your husband shall be liberated:" But
With deep solicitude had often yearn'd Her noble spirit scorn'd to purchase his
Over his tender childhood, ere the God Release, on terms so base! at such a price!
Of heav'n reveal'd the glorious purpose which She lov'd the truth and fear'd the God of heav'n.
Was pre-determined in the courts above, She's seen her children driv'n from place to place
Should be accomplosh'd in the present age: And huntaed like the mountain deer. She's stood
But when she realiz'd the Lord had call'd Beside the death bed of her noble lord
Him in his youth and inexperience to Who, ere the lamp of life became extinct,
Re-introduce the "ancient order" and Like ancient Jacob, call'd his children round
Confront the prejudices of the world; And bless'd them one by one.
The throbbings of her breast, none can describe; I knew him well,
And she can tell a tale that none besides For he was Zion's first great patriarch;
Can tell. And from his lips I've felt the sacred pow'r
She's suffer'd much and much she has Of blessing on my head. But he has gone,
Enjoy'd. I oft have sat beside her and And she in lonely widowhood remains!
Have listen'd with sweet admiration to She's follow'd to the grave, five noble sons!
Her strains of heav'nly eloquence while she She stood beside the bleeding forms of those
Describ'd the glories that are soon to be Great brother-martyrs of the latter-day.
Reveal'd. Ah! think of her, ye tender mothers when
She's witness'd change succeeding change Her feeble, tott'ring frame that bow'd beneath
Roll up the tide of revolution till The weight of years and life's infirmities,
Its heaving waves accumulating seem Accumulated by the toils and cares,
About to burst and overwhelm the world! Anxieties and oft heart-rending griefs;
The standard of our country, she has seen Stood o'er her murder'd sons! She laid her hand
Rising in glorious majesty, and wave Upon their marble foreheads, while the blood
Its fam'd, unrival'd banner gracefully, Was freely gushing from their purple wounds!
Till other hands than those that rear'd it, sapp'd And yet she lives, and yet bears witness to
Its broad foundation, and its ensign marr'd- The truth for which they fell a sacrifice.
Tott'ring and tremulous it now appears
Ready to fall and in its fall to make Yes, venerable Lady, thou shalt live
The most tremendous crash the civil world While life to thee shall be a blessing. Thou
Has ever known! Art dear to ev'ry faithful saint. Thousands
She's seen the church of God Already bless thee-millions yet to come
Start into being and extend itself Will venerate thy name and speak thy praise.
From shore to shore and plant its footsteps on
City of Joseph, May, 1845.
The Times and Seasons, Is Printed and Published about the first and fifteenth of every month, on the corner of Main and Kimball Streets, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, by JOHN TAYLOR, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
TERMS.-TWO DOLLARS per annum, payable in all cases in advance. Any person procuring five new subscribers, and forwarding us Ten Dollars current money, shall receive one volume gratis. All letters must be addressed to John Taylor, editor, POST PAID, or they will not receive attention.
(page 911) |
