The Poetical Works of George Barlow :: :: University of Virginia Library

“Wildest talk of an invasion! How can ever such thing be?
Give the suffrage to the women, give the vote to them and me.
Trust us—trust no ships or weapons—trust not bayonets or the sea.

II

“Roberts tells us—Roberts warns us—he is talking ‘nonsense’ quite.
I and God can put the Germans by our double vote to flight.
If I lift my star-ringed finger, they will vanish in a night.

296

III

“No: it does not ‘interest’ us, all this talk of swords and tars.
We are daughters of the future, we are sisters of the stars,
And our dreams are dreams pacific, not man's murderous cult of Mars.

IV

“We have never read a history, we know nought of gun or boat.
England does not ‘interest’ us. Let the throne and country float
Straight away to wreck stupendous, so we only get a vote!

V

“Little England is our England. Perish India, mount and plain!
Let some German, or some Russian, o'er the dark-skinned myriads reign!
Nought to us the thing can matter, if our petty ends we gain.

297

VI

“Are the Indian mobs seditious? Send a peaceful message there.
Is an Englishwoman murdered? Hold a meeting, and declare
That if several more are murdered, we shall think it most unfair.

VII

“That's the way to hold an Empire. It was sternly, keenly won.
But a swordless grasp may keep it, let no flash be seen of gun,
Not a word be heard of anger, till our mission's fully done.

VII

“This indeed is our proud mission—what was given us, to betray:
What was trusted to our keeping, with both hands to fling away:
What was won by battling centuries, to cast from us in a day.”