Poems and Essays By the late William Caldwell Roscoe. (Edited with a Prefatory Memoir, by his Brother-in-law, Richard Holt Hutton) |
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 | Poems and Essays |  |
47
“FREI IST DER BURSCH!”
Free is the Student! thus they sing,
Their glasses all resounding;
Freedom, the fairest, noblest thing,
And here alone abounding!
Their glasses all resounding;
Freedom, the fairest, noblest thing,
And here alone abounding!
So little birds may be alleged
Quite free at nestling ages;
But when King Fred believes you fledged,
You'll soon be clapped in cages.
Quite free at nestling ages;
But when King Fred believes you fledged,
You'll soon be clapped in cages.
So sucking bears are left alone,
To run about unguarded;
But when the rascals' teeth are grown,
They must be chained and warded.
To run about unguarded;
But when the rascals' teeth are grown,
They must be chained and warded.
Thus you that scorn a slave's estate
Shall find you've but delayed it:
Some shall be driven through the gate,
And some poor souls persuaded.
Shall find you've but delayed it:
Some shall be driven through the gate,
And some poor souls persuaded.
But, sir, if we give Freedom up,
We've stars of large dimensions;
And if we drink of slavery's cup,
Professorships and pensions.
We've stars of large dimensions;
And if we drink of slavery's cup,
Professorships and pensions.
48
Dear Liberty! cries every tongue,
And echoes every rafter,
We'll sing about thee while we're young,
And live without thee after.
And echoes every rafter,
We'll sing about thee while we're young,
And live without thee after.
Bonn, June 1846.
| Poems and Essays | |