"Elegy
on the
Death
of
Gov[ernor]. Harvey." [1862]
[Louis Powell Harvey, 22 Jul 1820 - 19 Apr 1862]
POETRY
Taken from the Wisconsin State Journal
WRITTEN BY
A Young Lady still in her teens.
MUSIC BY
J. S. Allen.

Janesville, Wisconsin: J. L. Darling
[Library of Congress
MUSIC DIV
Class. M 1640
  .A
Acc. No. 101094]
[Plate no.] 208
[Source: civilwardigital.com]

1. Sob! Sob! Sob! wild west wind a peoples pain
Weep! Weep! Weep, April skies, your sadest rain!
A nobler brow was never lain
Beneath the waters falsely fair;—
We call in vain— We call in vain—
Cruel surges mock our prayer.

2. Droop Freedom’s flag along the sky
While slowly strike his fun’ral knells—
Yet he has heard with kindling eye
The chime of Heaven’s welcome bells
With ministry of word and deed,
To those who fell in glorious strife,—
Their grateful pray’rs a priceless meed,—
He crown’d the mission of his life.

3. The wounded soldier, moaning low
Of love and home the weary while,
Look’d up with pulses all aglow
To catch the sunlight of his smile.
So soft the tone that sooth’d his ears,
So warm the hand enclasping his,
That, almost, thro’ the blinding tears,
The suff’rer felt his mother’s kiss.

4. We cannot call him dead, the good
And loyal soul we moun today;
He pass’d the baptism of the flood,
Then woke to walk the shining way.
Farewell brave chieftain, thine the sweep
Of endless joy a shoreless wave;
But ours to bless thy name, and weep
The hopes lowburied in thy grave.
The hopes lowburied in thy grave.