 | Poems by Rose Terry |  |
127
VI ET ARMIS.
My soul be strong! confront thy life,
Nor feebly moan with weak complaint;
Arouse to wage the mortal strife,
Thou shrinking coward, pale and faint!
Nor feebly moan with weak complaint;
Arouse to wage the mortal strife,
Thou shrinking coward, pale and faint!
Look up at truth's unchanging face;
That brow, though stern, is yet serene;
And sometimes, for the heart of grace,
On those calm lips a smile hath been.
That brow, though stern, is yet serene;
And sometimes, for the heart of grace,
On those calm lips a smile hath been.
The warrior on the battle-field
Lingers no more to look behind,
But raises high his bossy shield,
And casts his banner to the wind.
Lingers no more to look behind,
But raises high his bossy shield,
And casts his banner to the wind.
It will not serve thee to delay;
Shall the wide ocean cease to roar,
Because thy wild and dangerous way
Lies to its dimly visioned shore?
Shall the wide ocean cease to roar,
Because thy wild and dangerous way
Lies to its dimly visioned shore?
128
Shake off thy dreams; let faith and prayer
Light the drear way: thy path is strait,
Contagion fills the misty air,
And clustering snares around thee wait.
Light the drear way: thy path is strait,
Contagion fills the misty air,
And clustering snares around thee wait.
Hope not for succor from below!
Stars shine from heaven, but shine at night.
Be stout of heart, come weal or woe;
Forward,—and God defend the Right!
Stars shine from heaven, but shine at night.
Be stout of heart, come weal or woe;
Forward,—and God defend the Right!
| Poems by Rose Terry | |