 | Poetical Works of Lionel Johnson |  |
295
TO THE QUEEN REGENT OF SPAIN
All mothers of a young man child,
Madam! are praying for you: wild,
Bitter and wild the waves that beat
About your King's, your Son's, young feet:
Too tender yet for aught but play,
Fate sets them on a sterner way.
Ah, can it hold, that little hand,
Teresa's and Cervantes' land?
Must glorious and golden Spain
Pass through the purging fires again,
To learn, with tears and bloody sweat,
The truth, no nation may forget:
That wrong for evermore is wrong,
And vengeances to God belong?
If noble Spain hath once forgot
The way of honour, shall there not
Come God in His own anger? Can
Even proud Spain dare play the man
In a wrong quarrel? Quick, to prayers!
Immeasureable power is theirs:
Christ's Vicar from the heart of Rome
Is praying for his godchild's home;
And all the mothers of a son
Pray for Spain's royal little one.
Peace upon earth! Yes: but if war
Kindle its devastating star,
Madam! are praying for you: wild,
Bitter and wild the waves that beat
About your King's, your Son's, young feet:
Too tender yet for aught but play,
Fate sets them on a sterner way.
Ah, can it hold, that little hand,
Teresa's and Cervantes' land?
Must glorious and golden Spain
Pass through the purging fires again,
To learn, with tears and bloody sweat,
The truth, no nation may forget:
That wrong for evermore is wrong,
And vengeances to God belong?
If noble Spain hath once forgot
The way of honour, shall there not
Come God in His own anger? Can
Even proud Spain dare play the man
In a wrong quarrel? Quick, to prayers!
Immeasureable power is theirs:
Christ's Vicar from the heart of Rome
Is praying for his godchild's home;
And all the mothers of a son
Pray for Spain's royal little one.
Peace upon earth! Yes: but if war
Kindle its devastating star,
Madam! be natheless comforted:
You to the memory of your dead
Have paid a queenly homage: you,
To him and Spain devoutly true,
Have toiled, and ever manlike worn
A crown, the weariest burden borne.
Fired and inspired by you must be
The Castilian chivalry:
And all the love of all Spain cling
Around the powerless child its King.
God be with him and you! God send
These troubles a courageous end:
God be with you, and with your Spain,
And peace be upon earth again.
You to the memory of your dead
Have paid a queenly homage: you,
To him and Spain devoutly true,
296
A crown, the weariest burden borne.
Fired and inspired by you must be
The Castilian chivalry:
And all the love of all Spain cling
Around the powerless child its King.
God be with him and you! God send
These troubles a courageous end:
God be with you, and with your Spain,
And peace be upon earth again.
Outlook, 7 May 1898.
| Poetical Works of Lionel Johnson | |