Volume IV Part 17 (2/2)

And meantime (you made your reflection If you were English), was nought to be done But sorting sables, in predilection For all those martyrs dead and gone, Till the new earth and heaven made ready.

III.

And if your politics were not heady, Violent, ... ”Good,” you added, ”good In all things! Mourn on sure and steady.

Churchyard thistles are wholesome food For our European wandering a.s.ses.

IV.

”The date of the resurrection pa.s.ses Human foreknowledge: men unborn Will gain by it (even in the lower cla.s.ses), But none of these. It is not the morn Because the c.o.c.k of France is crowing.

V.

”c.o.c.ks crow at midnight, seldom knowing Starlight from dawn-light! 't is a mad Poor creature.” Here you paused, and growing Scornful,--suddenly, let us add, The trumpet sounded, the graves were open.

VI.

Life and life and life! agrope in The dusk of death, warm hands, stretched out For swords, proved more life still to hope in, Beyond and behind. Arise with a shout, Nation of Italy, slain and buried!

VII.

Hill to hill and turret to turret Flas.h.i.+ng the tricolor,--newly created Beautiful Italy, calm, unhurried, Rise heroic and renovated, Rise to the final rest.i.tution.

VIII.

Rise; prefigure the grand solution Of earth's munic.i.p.al, insular schisms,-- Statesmen draping self-love's conclusion In cheap vernacular patriotisms, Unable to give up Judaea for Jesus.

IX.

Bring us the higher example; release us Into the larger coming time: And into Christ's broad garment piece us Rags of virtue as poor as crime, National selfishness, civic vaunting.

X.

No more Jew nor Greek then,--taunting Nor taunted;--no more England nor France!

But one confederate brotherhood planting One flag only, to mark the advance, Onward and upward, of all humanity.

XI.

For civilization perfected Is fully developed Christianity.

”Measure the frontier,” shall it be said, ”Count the s.h.i.+ps,” in national vanity?

--Count the nation's heart-beats sooner.

XII.

For, though behind by a cannon or schooner, That nation still is predominant Whose pulse beats quickest in zeal to oppugn or Succour another, in wrong or want, Pa.s.sing the frontier in love and abhorrence.

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