Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/474

 WILLIAM DENTON. William Denton, though a native of England, and an emigrant to America after he had attained manhood, may properly be classed among the writers of the West, because his literary life was developed in Ohio. He was born at Darlington, Durham county, England, in the year 1823. He went to an English Penny School for several years, and when nineteen years old attended a Normal School at London for six months. Since his residence in the West he has been a common school teacher and Lecturer. In 1856 he published a small volume of Poems* at Dayton, Ohio, a second edition of which was issued at Cleveland in 1860. He invokes the Muses chiefly for the purpose of giving the charm of rhythm to radical thoughts on "vexed questions;" rarely for the description of natural objects, or for the expression of passion or im- pulse. THOUGHTS. Thoughts, gentle thoughts, are springing like the flowers in smiling May ; Bright earth-stars, fair and golden, with a blessing in each ray ; They gladden childhood in its dance along life's verdant lanes. And soothe the years of manhood, in its time of toils and pains ; No desert soul so barx-en, but they beautify the spot ; And where they fail to germinate, there God himself is not. Thoughts, holy thoughts, like stars arise, when night enwraps the soul ; Or beacon lights above the sea, when waves of sorrow roll ; They close the door on vanity, they shut out lust and pride. Like fairest angels, wandering forever at our side ; To ev'ry soul of earth, they give a seraph's burning wings. And far above the gates of morn, she soars aloft and sings. Thoughts, dreadful thoughts, at midnight come, the soul a drifting wreck ; Their huriied footsteps pacing up and down the sounding deck ; When dark misdeeds within the hold, weigh down the ship like lead — The creaking timbers groaning like the ghosts of troubled dead, While gaping waves ai'ound it for posses- sion seem to fight ; From thoughts like these, God save us, in the lonely hour of night! Thoughts come like Spanish galleons, with treasures o'er the sea. With richest jewels freighted ; priceless presents for the free : Each soul is on the tip-toe, when their gallants touch the sky. Cleveland, Ohio, 1859. 12mo, pp. 118. ( 4o8 )
 * Poems for Reformers. By William Denton. Second edition, printed for the author, at the " Vanguard " office,