Crown Hill Cemetery and Funeral Home Serving The Indianapolis Indiana Area

It is generally known that famous Hoosier Poet James Whitcomb Riley is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery, indeed, buried at the very top of Crown Hill. But several other poets, well-known in their time but now mostly forgotten, are also buried here. These include Sarah Bolton, Indiana's first and most famous female poet; Dan Paine, known as one of "the cloak poets" for his habit of wandering the streets in his huge army overcoat; and a contemporary Black poet, Etheridge Knight. Here is a sample of their poetry.

At Crown Hill

Leave him here in the fresh
greening grasses and trees
And the symbols of love, and the solace of these-
The saintly white lilies and blossoms he keeps
In endless caress as
he breathlessly sleeps.
The tears of our eyes wrong the scene of his rest,
For the sky's at its clearest-the sun's at its best-
The earth at its greenest- its wild bud and bloom
At its sweetest-and sweetest its honey'd perfume.
Home! Home!-Leave him here in his lordly estate,
And with never a tear as we turn from the gate!
Turn back to the home that will know him no more,-
The vines at the window-the sun through the door,-
Nor sound of his voice, nor the light of his face!...
But the birds will sing on, and the rose, in his place,
Will tenderly smile til we daringly feign
He is home with us still, though the tremulous rain
Of our tears reappear, and again all is bloom,
And all prayerless we sob in the long-darkened room.
Heaven portions it thus-the old mystery dim,-
It is midnight to us-it is morning to him

by James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)

Paddle Your Own Canoe

Voyager upon life's sea,
To yourself be true,
And whatever your lot may be,
Paddle your own canoe.
Never, though the winds may rave,
Falter or look back;
But upon the darkest wave
Leave a shining track.
Paddle your own canoe.

Nobly dare the wildest storm,
Stem the hardest gale,
Brave of heart and strong of arm
You will never fail.
When the world is cold and dark,
Keep your aim in view;
And toward the beacon work,
Paddle your own canoe. ...

..Would you crush the giant wrong,
In the world's free fight?
With a spirit brave and strong,
Battle for the right.
And to break the chains that bind
The many to the few
To enfranchise slavish mind,-
Paddle your own canoe.
Nothing great is lightly won,
Nothing won is lost,
Every good deed, nobly done,
Will repay the cost.
Leave to Heaven, in humble trust,
All you will to do:
But if succeed, you must
Paddle your own canoe.

by Sarah Bolton, written in 1851. This poem, set to music, became known throughout the world.

Wherefore?

Are not five sparrows for two farthing sold?
Do not our hairs grow white and fall away?
Yet every hair and sparrow, we are told,
Is numbered and is noticed day by day.
Wherefore, is still they fall and still turn gray?
If songs be hushed and heart and brain grow cold?
if blight and darkness follow bloom and day
And summer's greenness fade in winter's cold?
What is the numbering of the gray hairs gone?
Shall sparrows live again? Shall bright locks burn
again in golden glory round the head?
What to the numbered if they still fall on?
What to the numberer if they ne'er return?

By Dan Paine (1830-1895)

Vigo County

Beyond the brown hill
Above the silent cedars,
Blackbirds flee the April rains.

by Etheridge Knight

1) Strictly speaking, a haiku is a Japanese poetic form of three lines containing 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. In more general terms, it is a short poem painting a word picture. (Etheridge Knight's poem, Vigo County, is an example of haiku poetry.) Prepare the class to keep their senses alert, and then have them write some word pictures about their visit to Crown Hill.

2) Have the students discuss these poems. If you think it is appropriate for your students, have them contrast the views of death in "Wherefore?" and "At Crown Hill."

3) Read some of James Whitcomb Riley's more popular works to the class. In his day, Riley was as well known for reading his poetry in lecture halls as he was for writing it.