| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 1319. Heart of Oak |
| | | By Charles Henry Luders |
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| LEAN close and set thine ear against the bark; | |
| Then tell me what faint, murmurous sounds are heard: | |
| Hath not the oak stored up the song of bird, | |
| Whisper of wind and rain-lisp? Ay, and hark! | |
| The shadowy elves that fret the summer dark, | 5 |
| With clash of horny winglets swiftly whirred, | |
| Hear’st thou not them, with myriad noises, blurred, | |
| Yet well defined if one but shrewdly mark? | |
| And thou,—when thy Familiar setteth ear | |
| Unto thy bosom, doth he note the same | 10 |
| Sweet concord of harmonious sounds within? | |
| Or is all hushed in hollow silence drear? | |
| An ’t be, pray Heaven to save thee from thy shame | |
| Ere thy whole soul be slain by cankerous sin. | |
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