Song for a Fishing Party near Burlington, on the Delaware, in 1776
Song for a Fishing Party near Burlington, on the Delaware, in 1776
Original Text
The Loyal Verses of Joseph Stansbury and Doctor
Jonathan Odell, ed. Winthrop Sargent (Albany: J. Munsell, 1860): 9-10. Internet Archive
1How sweet is the season, the sky how serene;
3The Prince of the Rivers, his waves all asleep,
4In silence majestic glides on to the Deep.
5Away from the noise of the Fife and the Drum,
7And a plentiful store of good humor we bring
8To season our feast in the shade of Cold Spring.
10True lovers of Freedom, contention we hate:
11For the Demon of discord in vain tries his art
13True Protestant friends to fair Liberty's cause,
14To decorum, good order, religion and laws,
15From avarice, jealousy, perfidy, free;
16We wish all the world were as happy as we.
17We have wants, we confess, but are free from the care
18Of those that abound, yet have nothing to spare:
19Serene as the sky, as the river serene,
20We are happy to want envy, malice and spleen.
21While thousands around us, misled by a few,
22The Phantoms of pride and ambition pursue,
23With pity their fatal delusion we see;
24And wish all the world were as happy as we!
Notes
2] Delaware: a major river running from Pennsylvania and New York to the Atlantic at Trenton, New Jersey. Back to Line
6] Bellona: Roman goddess of war. Back to Line
9] whig and tory: English political parties, country and aristocratic, and court and royal. Back to Line
12] "Protestant was a term adopted by a circle of Loyalists." (poet's note) Back to Line
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2011
Rhyme
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