To Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

James Russell Lowell (1819–1891)

On His Birthday, 27th February, 1867

I NEED not praise the sweetness of his song,

Where limpid verse to limpid verse succeeds

Smooth as our Charles, when, fearing lest he wrong

The new moon’s mirrored skiff, he slides along,

Full without noise, and whispers in his reeds.

With loving breath of all the winds his name

Is blown about the world, but to his friends

A sweeter secret hides behind his fame,

And Love steals shyly through the loud acclaim

To murmur a God bless you! and there ends.

As I muse backward up the checkered years,

Wherein so much was given, so much was lost,

Blessings in both kinds, such as cheapen tears—

But hush! this is not for profaner ears;

Let them drink molten pearls nor dream the cost.

Some suck up poison from a sorrow’s core,

As naught but nightshade grew upon earth’s ground;

Love turned all his to heart’s-ease, and the more

Fate tried his bastions, she but forced a door,

Leading to sweeter manhood and more sound.

Even as a wind-waved fountain’s swaying shade

Seems of mixed race, a gray wraith shot with sun,

So through his trial faith translucent rayed,

Till darkness, half disnatured so, betrayed

A heart of sunshine that would fain o’errun.

Surely if skill in song the shears may stay,

And of its purpose cheat the charmed abyss,

If our poor life be lengthened by a lay,

He shall not go, although his presence may,

And the next age in praise shall double this.

Long days be his, and each as lusty-sweet

As gracious natures find his song to be;

May Age steal on with softly cadenced feet

Falling in music, as for him were meet

Whose choicest verse is harsher-toned than he.