Original Voices from the Past

“Pomoniad Book V.”

Rivalry long and deadly, and conflicts of fiercest contention
Sing, 0 Goddess revered, which brought to sorrow and weeping
Many brave spirits of mortals, and banished to homes far distant
Youths who were haughty and thoughtless, and for a season assigned them
Prey to remorse, the object of scorn and careless disdaining.
Since the time when first in trials and rushes contended
Freshmen, the green and conceited, and Soph’mores, wisest of all men.
At their mid-day meal assembled the well-greaved Pomonans.
Loud uprose a clamor as restless waves on the seashore
Thunder high and strong, then sink to a mumbling murmur.
Soon there entered six heroes and all eyes rested upon them
Who with exultant pride bore aloft the coveted object,
Staff of glistening wood bound round with fluttering ribbons;
Purple and gold they shone on the wondering gaze of the students,
Who with heads upraised, beheld as deer in the forest
Startled at some strange sound, peer about to discover the reason;
So the students gazed while walked toward the chosen champion
Six of the mightiest Freshmen that ever laughed at a Soph’more.
“Listen to me, ye Ponionans, and hear ye dog-faced Soph’mores,
This is the sign of our spirit, we’re not so green as some think us,
Twenty-four hours will we bear it in the presence of well-greaved Pomonans.
I am Fairchild, the mighty, from far, wind-swept San Jacinto.
Let who will oppose me, like wine shall his blood flow freely,
Low will I bring his head and friends shall loudly lament him.”
Thus he spoke, and straightway rejoiced the well-greaved Pomonans.
Full sixty minutes had passed and yet the champion mighty
Walked abroad in the land as walks the shaggy-nnaned lion
Safe in the midst of his foes who long to attack him yet dare not.
So walked Fairchild, the mighty, surrounded by warriors famous,
Entered beneath the roof of the wonderful temple of learning
There to pay their vows, to perform the heaviest duties
Laid on them by the gods, who dwell in bright-shining Olympus
(Otherwise known as the Ark, Polulithon pleasant, and so forth)
Here not long reigned quiet, upon one another with fierceness
Fell the two hostile classes, as waves of the mighty ocean
Rush together and striking rise high toward the listening heavens,
So rose the clamor aloft as valiant Soph’more seized Freshman.
There flowed the blood in streams and teeth offered free in the conflict;
But very brief it was for soon the sound reached the immortals.
Quickly they came leaping down from the summits of lofty Olympus,
Colcord of many words and Cook, the brave mice-destroyer,
Bissell, swift-footed, and Brackett, the clear of voice and impetuous.
Scarce had they entered the conflict, now smiting, now stepping on fingers,
Ere all things were changed, and Freshmen and Soph’mores were parted.
Not again for a time did they meet in deadly encounter,
For the immortal gods disapproved of rushes and sent them
Visions of glory in foot-ball, and thus the struggle was ended.