Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
America: Vols. XXV–XXIX. 1876–79.

Middle States: New York, the City, N. Y.

New York

By Theodore Sedgwick Fay (1807–1898)

(From My Native Land)

BUT see! the broadening river deeper flows,

Its tribute floods intent to reach the sea,

While, from the west, the fading sunlight throws

Its softening hues on stream, and field, and tree;

All silent nature bathing, wondrously,

In charms that soothe the heart with sweet desires,

And thoughts of friends we ne’er again may see,

Till lo! ahead, Manhatta’s bristling spires,

Above her thousand roofs red with day’s dying fires,

May greet the wanderer of Columbia’s shore,

Proud Venice of the west! no lovelier scene.

Of thy vast throngs now faintly comes the roar,

Though late like beating ocean surf I ween,—

And everywhere thy various barks are seen,

Cleaving the limpid floods that round thee flow,

Encircled by thy banks of sunny green,—

The panting steamer plying to and fro,

Or the tall sea-bound ship abroad on wings of snow.