Classic Poem

JOHN MILTON was a boy then, with long locks
Which shaded his as yet unclouded eyes,
Doomed to be blinded by too daring gaze —
Rapt gaze, heav'n-turned toward God's effulgent throne;
A boy of twelve, with serious beautiful face,
With promise of rare genius, who should sing
The epic of God's dealings with mankind —
Creation, Paradise, Sin, Punishment,
The battles of the Cherubim, and Hell —
The great blind Puritan poet-laureate.
Oh would that he had in sonorous verse
Enshrined the Mayflower compact for all time!

And yet it were impossible to improve
Upon the terse quaint phraseology,
Beginning, IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN !
Proceeding, WE WHOSE NAMES ARE UNDERWRITEN ,
THE LOYALL SUBJECTS OF OUR DREAD SOVERAIGNE LORD ,
KING JAMES, BY YE GRACE OF GOD, OF GREAT BRITAINE ,
OF FRANCE AND IRELAND, KING, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH —
WE, HAVEING UNDERTAKEN, FOR YE GLORIE
OF GOD, ADVANCEMENTE OF YE CHRISTIAN FAITH ,
AND HONOUR OF OUR KING AND OUR COUNTRIE ,
A VOYAGE TO PLANT YE FIRST NEW COLONIE
HERE IN YE NORTHERN PARTS OF VIRGINIA ,
DOE BY THESE PRESENTS, SOLEMNLY AND MUTUALY
HERE IN YE PRESENCE OF GOD AND ONE OF ANOTHER ,
MAKE COVENANT AND COMBINE OURSELVES TOGEATHER
INTO A CIVILL BODY POLITICK
FOR OUR BETTER ORDERING AND OUR PRESERVATION
AND FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF YE ENDS AFORESAID ,
AND SO BY VERTUE HEREOF TO ENACTE ,
TO CONSTITUTE AND FRAME SUCH EQUAL LAWES
AND JUST, SUCH ORDINANCES, CONSTITUTIONS ,
SUCH ACTS AND OFFICES FROM TIME TO TIME ,
AS SHALL BE THOUGHT MOST MEETE AND MOST CONVENIENT ,
FOR YE GENERALL GOOD OF THIS OUR COLONIE .
UNTO WHICH ALL DUE SUBMISSION AND OBEDIENCE
WE PROMISE. IN WITNESS WHEREOF WE HEREUNDER
HAVE VOLUNTARILY SUBSCRIBED OUR NAMES .

The place-name Cap C ODD follows and the date —
That memorable date — forget it not!
NOVEMBER YE ELEVENTH IN SIXTEEN-TWENTY .

Their " Soveraigne Lord king James " being on the throne
Of England, France and Ireland eighteen years,
And on the throne of Scotland fifty-four.

Thus word for word, scarce changed, the document
Runs, fluent into the mould of poetry.