Several of my previous posts have been about David Banks Sickels, how I became familiar with him and a posting of many of his poems. David (1837-1918) was a Civil War Correspondent, Fiscal Agent for the State of Arkansas, a Diplomatic Representative of Siam and Acting Consul of The Netherlands. With Lyman W. Griggs he founded the American Surety Company and upon his retirement, focused on literary work. He authored a prolific amount of poems, many of which were published in "Leaves of the Lotos" and "Flowers from the Wayside".
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A contemporary of David Sickels was Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), the Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist who, among other things, donated money to build 2,509 libraries between 1883-1929.
David wrote this poem he called "PEACE" and dedicated it to Andrew Carnegie.
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But my purpose for writing this post is to share this David Sickel's poem that just has me mesmerized.
I read the opening sentence many times before I could even move on to the rest of the poem. "Who gives the best to man gives most to God". Think about that!
And what supportive acknowledgement David gives to Andrew for donating his millions to the establishment of libraries, "..with exalted aim and grand design he caused the streams from fortune's golden fount to flow throughout the land he loves so well, that all might know the blessings and the bliss of knowledge boundless as the eternal years--Of wisdom stored in tomes of sages venerable, by parchment bound and clasped with bronze or gold. All this and more, the feeblest one may learn and study man and man's immortal mind, and in the quest find happiness supreme."
What a testimony of his admiration and gratitude to Andrew Carnegie, who must have been a personal friend.
I love his wordsmithing: "wisdom stored in tomes of sages venerable", "by parchment bound and clasped with bronze or gold". My words would be "Books and the treasures to be found within their covers!" But David Banks Sickels says "Words imperishable on olden vellum writ. With all their wealth of classic lore, a mind-enriching revenue of thought."
Beautiful!
And what supportive acknowledgement David gives to Andrew for donating his millions to the establishment of libraries, "..with exalted aim and grand design he caused the streams from fortune's golden fount to flow throughout the land he loves so well, that all might know the blessings and the bliss of knowledge boundless as the eternal years--Of wisdom stored in tomes of sages venerable, by parchment bound and clasped with bronze or gold. All this and more, the feeblest one may learn and study man and man's immortal mind, and in the quest find happiness supreme."
What a testimony of his admiration and gratitude to Andrew Carnegie, who must have been a personal friend.
I love his wordsmithing: "wisdom stored in tomes of sages venerable", "by parchment bound and clasped with bronze or gold". My words would be "Books and the treasures to be found within their covers!" But David Banks Sickels says "Words imperishable on olden vellum writ. With all their wealth of classic lore, a mind-enriching revenue of thought."
Beautiful!
