Anderson High School - Indian Yearbook (Anderson, IN)

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their sails, Xxx fs? 5' Q, li PRELUDE Beyond the Mountains The Wind roared in from the sea one night, And roused the heart of a mang He bethought himself of the daunt- less souls The Bridge Allegories will never be laid aside by those who lean on the Hne arts, and who toil by the light of the divine flame. Thus, We present a series of poems, under the allegorical guise of a bridge crossing the chasm of time, and bending from the dim past into the clouded future. Each arched pier is a pushing forward of man's accomplishments, with each stone of the floor and coping the effort of some person once living. The brief glimpses, that the poems afford, disperse, ta little, the clouds. In the distance, is the ultimate high endeavor that shows a splendid, but ever changing, c'ity of achievement. tln this series of poems the prelude and postlude are the approaches to the allegorical bridge, while the .Sagas represent the arches, with the interludes servlng as the piers on which they rest.l Vtlith the Waning stars in her hair. Forth, in the fluttering light he strode, and climbed to the top of a hill. Wispy, gold gleams shivered the sky, WVhile the Wanderlust sang in his Who had shaken the native earth from their feet, And gone to the ships and hoisted heart. Joel arose tall, and straight in the morning, Answering firmly, at last, the momen- tous question. Swept off in the rush of the salt sea wind, And the oeeants stormy song. Their faces were wet with spray and spume, And their hearts beat wild and highg For the very sod whereon he lived, They had braved the mighty sea! This was his glorious heritage! Beyond the mountains lie strange things, and I must break the wayln Saga of the Prairie Schooner The man brooded on unmoved, A strapge, throbbing wish fevered his mind, While his veins ran singing fire. The glimmering candle threw eerie wraiths, In the hush of the spent, night air, Till the dawn came by in a blue, blue gown, He had a look that made one start strangely,-- As if one heard through ages the whip of the wind in sails, Of the caravels of Columbus! Adventure had chosen him rightful- ly for her owng Gladly, had Joel accepted. 'Thus liv- ed his fathers' lives of exploring, searching, valor, -and romanceg Chartless the wayg and to chart it their task,-to follow Sea-roads and land-roads, all for the sake of adventure! , And, in the young Joel, the same dauntless spirit was fretting. Though the horizon loomed dark with forests, much lay beyond. Break'a new trail! he exulted, for those who would follow! Then he fell silent and returned to his cabin. twelve

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Many days rolled by ere all was readyg Ere the wagons were made, the last wheel rimmed: '1-he last peg driven. The high-rounding Hoops were bent to hold in place the canvas, A Q Strong and white, and stretched so taut t m l't boomed when drummed upon. E Lo, the prairie schooner! i The day they started, lilacs were in bloom, E N The branches that had been so gnarled L' 1 and twisted, F Were young again and softly draped in purple. I And the maidens brought great, fragrant masses l Of lilac bloom, and piled them in the wagons, That these heroes should have, for a while, llowers, from the life they had deserted. The long whip snapped out over the oxen, That lunged, and jerked the wagon into motion. Ilattling, and cracking, and wrench- ing, they jolted away, Amid the cheers, the goodbye oi the townsfolk. Onward they went, the dark head of Joel, Riimpled and tossed by the mischiev- ous wnd Could be seen flung back, shouting farewells from the foremost wag- on. Onward, they swayed until the dis- tance Laid a soft hand upon them, and made them remembered As three, white-sailed ships riding a rolling, green seag Slowly they rose on the side of a far distant billow, Gracefully breasted it, as caravels do, topped it, and sank from sight. Joel reported on his return from a scouting-trip, As yet, no Indians! If we find them we must make them our friends? Then on, until the weary travelers Found the lovely site, Where they would live. Two cabins were built, and now a third was begun for Joelg fa thirteen Once he went to his WHSOU f01' 3 needed tool And found-still faintly perfumed, though withered and dry- The lilacs, then he remembered, wfith sorrow, The dark-eyed maid to whom he had said goodhyeg For how many years he did not know. Silent, he brooded a while, and then, with a sigh of regret, Gathered the crackling flowers and strode to the river. There he Fiung them out on the water, and watched them float Swiftly from sight, like dreams from the mind. Resignedly, Joel returned, and find- ing the tool Took it to the new cabin, and work- ed with the others For the new life, discarding the old. INTERLFDE Solitary Brave In the late afternoon, A solitary brave, upon a lonely knoll, Stood silent, and scanned the swirl- 'ing river, Whereon was floating swiftly with the current, A strange canoe that bore the pale- facef' Come at last to the land of the Indian. - fcontinued on page 265