Birthday Celebration
He liveth long who liveth well,
And in the tents of peace shall dwell.
If footsteps falter, eyes grow dim
The peace of God shall be with him.
The peace of God be with thee, friend,
And gently lead thee to the end.
Crowned with the loves and hopes, the praise
And honor of thy well-spent days.
Believe it not that age is cold,
But say the loved are never old!
The lingering twilight of that time
Is holier than our noon-day prime.
O, mellowed to a calm well-won
Descends thy slowly-westering sun,
And hovering on the brink of heaven,
A rosier light to earth is given.
Long be thy twilight, warm with love,
And filled with radiance from above,
Till in the golden dream of rest
Thou say'st thy last days are thy best.
- Title
- Birthday Celebration
- First Line
- He liveth long who liveth well'
- Creator
-
George Shepard Burleigh
- Bibliographic Citation
- George S. Burleigh Papers, 1825-1902. John Hay Library, Brown University. Small Scrapbook 153
- Article from the Providence Journal
- Date
- 1880
- Subject
- Occasional Poems
- Birthdays
- Comments
- Significant explanatory text in the Providence Journal article accompanying this short poem.
-
"The eighty-sixth anniversary of the birthday of Colonel John Church occurred Wednesday, the 16th inst. About sixty of his friends and neighbors met together at his residence, taking the worthy gentleman completely by surprise. The lady of the house, however, was prepared to extend a hearty welcome to all the guests, as a bountifully-spread table in the dining-room attested. Colonel Church was born during Washington's second term of office, and although he has lived under the administration of every President of the United States,
his intellect still remains keen and unclouded, and as he received the congratulations of his friends, his erect form and dignified bearing showed how lightly the weight of years rested upon his shoulders.
The formal exercises commenced with an appropriate prayer by the Rev. Mr. Heart, followed by interesting remarks by the Rev. Mr. Coggeshall. Letters were read from some absent friends. and some ancient documents, contributed by Mrs. Sarah S. Wilbour, were exhibited, among them a copy of the Newport Mercury of the date of Mr. Church's birth. viz: 1794.
The exercises ended with the reading and singing of the following beautiful poem, written for the occasion by Mr. George Burleigh."
written - Date and place given as Little Compton, RI March 21, 1880
- Col. John Church died in Little Compton in 1882. Photograph from the History of Newport County
- Find-a-Grave for Col. John Church
