Ballads for the Times (Now first collected,) Geraldine, A Modern Pyramid, Bartenus, A Thousand Lines, and other poems. By Martin F. Tupper. A new Edition, enlarged and revised |
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 | Ballads for the Times |  |
258
The Memorial Window
Of the Anglo-Saxon Race. An Illustration.
Honour and Arms! The seals of Grace
upon this oriel glow;
Arms, as when brothers may embrace,
and not to fight a foe;
The arms of peace, heraldic arms,
with blazon richly dight,
Made gorgeous with chivalric charms,
and gilt with glory's light!
upon this oriel glow;
Arms, as when brothers may embrace,
and not to fight a foe;
The arms of peace, heraldic arms,
with blazon richly dight,
Made gorgeous with chivalric charms,
and gilt with glory's light!
Honour and Arms! O brethren dear,
I see your flashing eyes,
I feel your true hearts hurrying near
from all outlandish skies,
To bask one hour in one dear spot,
the kernel of your love,
In poor old England unforgot,
the blest of God above!
I see your flashing eyes,
I feel your true hearts hurrying near
from all outlandish skies,
To bask one hour in one dear spot,
the kernel of your love,
In poor old England unforgot,
the blest of God above!
Centre of all, Britannia's shield
in praise unsullied shines,
Rose, shamrock, thistle, round its field
a wreath of beauty twines;
Sweet Erin's harp of melody,
with Scotia's canton fair,
And thine own royal lions three
majestic roaming there.
in praise unsullied shines,
Rose, shamrock, thistle, round its field
a wreath of beauty twines;
Sweet Erin's harp of melody,
with Scotia's canton fair,
And thine own royal lions three
majestic roaming there.
261
Next, to thy right, a mighty son,
a stalwarth giant grown,
A wanton and a truant one,
and yet a child to own!
The sturdy stripes,—the glittering stars,
long may they blaze above,
Not on the bloody helm of Mars,
but in the crown of love!
a stalwarth giant grown,
A wanton and a truant one,
and yet a child to own!
The sturdy stripes,—the glittering stars,
long may they blaze above,
Not on the bloody helm of Mars,
but in the crown of love!
Nearer thy heart another stands,
a twin, but one in two,
And bringing homage with both hands
from one wide heart most true,
Stern Caledonia's thistly praise
reveals her hardy child,
Where Canada's mild beaver strays
to stock the western wild.
a twin, but one in two,
And bringing homage with both hands
from one wide heart most true,
Stern Caledonia's thistly praise
reveals her hardy child,
Where Canada's mild beaver strays
to stock the western wild.
Shining above, in orient light
the morning sun upsoars,—
Hindústan's elephantine might
is shadow'd on those shores;
Their luscious fruits of tropic toil
the sea-girt Indies breed,
And forth from Afric's southern soil
springs Anglo-Saxon seed.
the morning sun upsoars,—
Hindústan's elephantine might
is shadow'd on those shores;
Their luscious fruits of tropic toil
the sea-girt Indies breed,
And forth from Afric's southern soil
springs Anglo-Saxon seed.
Beneath old Britain's blazon fair
Australia's emu stands,
And kangaroos are skipping there
on rich unpeopled lands;
New Zealand's war-boat paddles fast;
and Borneo's royal ship
Makes many a pirate scuffling past
beware “the Badger's” grip!
Australia's emu stands,
And kangaroos are skipping there
on rich unpeopled lands;
262
and Borneo's royal ship
Makes many a pirate scuffling past
beware “the Badger's” grip!
Old Egbert's cross in golden light
is shining over all,
And, on its right, no viper's bite
harms Malta's holy Paul;
While huge Gibraltar's rock outstands,
for bristling cannon cleft,
Like Hercules with Samson's hands
to pillar up the left.
is shining over all,
And, on its right, no viper's bite
harms Malta's holy Paul;
While huge Gibraltar's rock outstands,
for bristling cannon cleft,
Like Hercules with Samson's hands
to pillar up the left.
Below, with praise each lesser star
in mingled lustre smiles,
The storm-swept Falklands seen afar
and soft Ionian Isles,
With dark Sierra's libell'd beach,
And Mandarin'd Hong Kong,
And all who speak in English speech,
or sing an English song.
in mingled lustre smiles,
The storm-swept Falklands seen afar
and soft Ionian Isles,
With dark Sierra's libell'd beach,
And Mandarin'd Hong Kong,
And all who speak in English speech,
or sing an English song.
O heralds! when and where before
were Earth's true honours seen,
In brightness and in beauty more
than on this Gothic screen?
Where Britain, like a mother hen,
is gathering to her wings
The world of Anglo-Saxon men,
creation's priests and kings!
were Earth's true honours seen,
In brightness and in beauty more
than on this Gothic screen?
Where Britain, like a mother hen,
is gathering to her wings
The world of Anglo-Saxon men,
creation's priests and kings!
| Ballads for the Times | |