Miscellaneous, "Guilford Lake" A Poem

Guilford Lake

Bainbridge Republican, Feb. 13, 1908

 

This poem was recited by the author, Mrs. R.M. Clark, at the banquet of the Guilford Woman's Club, Wednesday evening, Jan. 29, 1908.

 

Oh, beautiful Lake of Guilford!

Thou liquid gem most rare!

With setting of hills and forests,

Thou makest a picture fair.

Unchanging as the rugged hills

That guard thee night and day.

For ages thou hast sparkled here,

A gem of purest ray.

 

Thy crystal depths have mirrored

The sunshine and the shade,

As Nature in her peaceful woods,

The changing pictures made;

The while with lavish hand she laid

Her treasures at thy feet.

And made for weary travelers

A restful, calm retreat.

 

Where freed from vexing care,

And the city's ceaseless strife,

In cooling shades they seek and find,

An added joy in life.

And pleasant homes and cottages

Now dot thy verdant shore,

Where wigwam fires erstwhile have blazed,

In far-off days of yore.

 

When summer yields the bright glad days

From out her golden store,

Thy placid bosom ripples oft

To the music of the oar;

And then wary, finny tribes,

That neath thy waters dwell,

Are lured by many a tempting bait,

The anglers' pride to swell.

 

Yet still, to me, thy greatest charm

Come with the twilight hour,

When the setting sun with varied hue

Tints ev'ry leaf and flower;

Then idly drifting o'er thy wave,

We await the "Queen of Night,"

Whose coming soon is heralded

In floods of silvery light.

 

And as the shimmering silver stream

Floats o'er thy rippling breast,

Admiring lovers oft declare

'Tis then they love thee best.

But though thou seemest so serene,

We've seen thy passions rise;

And angry waves have beat thy shore,

As storm clouds swept the skies.

 

When winter comes from out the north,

With all his frosty train,

And spreads his snowy mantle wide

O'er mountain, hill and plain,

Thy treasures then thou lockest fast

And the Ice King turns the key,

Whilst we, in crystal blocks, preserve

Cool memories of thee.

 

And o'er the glassy surface

The youthful feet now glide,

For while the Ice King reigneth

Thou art the skaters' pride.

Thus through the changing seasons,

Thy special charms we see;

And of thyself in cooling draughts,

A health we'll drink to thee.