A Letter to Roslyn

By William Cullen Bryant*

Disturbed from nature's eternal slumber

I arise to avenge a most heinous sin.

And address a scourge that's befallen thee

My beloved town of Roslyn.

Citizens upon my charge you must rally

To teach the baneful lesson greed expounds.

Avenge the oppressed with uproarious courage

And smite the officials who don the crown.

Tyrants who hide in their prisons of shame

Need now pay for their grievous plunder.

Polluted hands that signed the cheques

Must cowardly bow to righteous thunder.

O' leader who held our trust most exulted

Your blemishes are no longer concealed.

Currency squandered on dandy sheep's clothing.

Bloodstained fortunes can now be revealed.

Castles erected while the plague sickens.

Wages squandered by a scandalous few

Citizens take arms and join my army

Refuse to sip from their tainted brew.

Halls echo the steps of downtrodden youth.

While hope's bright promise flees the village.

Inside scholarly walls budgets plummet.

Trust wanes after all that's been pillaged.

My Cedarmere watches from her place on the hill.

Bitter leaves crackle under virtuous shoes.

The Clock Tower heralds the passing of time

And reminds us of a future we should not lose.

In another dawn I shall once again awaken

To gentle ripples on my duck pond clear.

My Roslyn will rise like the Phoenix

And thru the ages we will hold her dear.

*Inspired by

Kathleen Bridge Greenstein