Page:Poems, Household Edition, Emerson, 1904.djvu/250

214 What care though rival cities soar

Along the stormy coast,

Penn's town, New York and Baltimore,

If Boston knew the most!

They laughed to know the world so wide;

The mountains said, 'Good-day!

We greet you well, you Saxon men,

Up with your towns and stay!'

The world was made for honest trade,—

To plant and eat be none afraid.

For you,' they said, 'no barriers be,

For you no sluggard rest;

Each street leads downward to the sea,

Or landward to the west.'

O happy town beside the sea,

Whose roads lead everywhere to all;

Than thine no deeper moat can be,

No stouter fence, no steeper wall!

Bad news from George on the English throne;

You are thriving well,' said he;

Now by these presents be it known

You shall pay us a tax on tea;

'Tis very small,—no load at all,—

Honor enough that we send the call.