Page 15 - Poetry-Whimsy

A Farewell to Agassiz

How the mountains talked together,
Looking down upon the weather,
When they heard our friend had planned his
Little trip among the Andes!
How they’ll bare their snowy scalps
To the climber of the Alps,
When the cry goes through their passes,
“Here comes the great Agassiz!”
“Yes, I’m tall,” says Chimborazo,
“But I wait for him to say so,—
That’s the only thing that lacks,—he
Must see me, Cotopaxi!”
“Ay! ay!” the fire-peak thunders,
“And he must view my wonders!
I’m but a lonely crater,
Till I have him for spectator!”
The mountain hearts are yearning,
The lava-torches burning,
The rivers bend to meet him,
The forests bow to greet him,
It thrills the spinal column
Of fossil fishes solemn,
And glaciers crawl the faster
To the feet of their old master!

Heaven keep him well and hearty,
Both him and all his party!
From the sun that broils and smites,
From the centipede that bites,
From the hail-storm and the thunder,
From the vampire and the condor,
From the gust upon the river,
From the sudden earthquake shiver,
From the trip of mule or donkey,
From the midnight howling monkey,
From the stroke of knife or dagger,
From the puma and the jaguar,
From the horrid boa-constrictor
That has scared us in the pictur’,

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