 | At Sunset |  |
70
JOHN G. WHITTIER
The chrism of Christ was on his brow,
The sword of Paul within his hand,
As pledged by a Crusader's vow
He met the evil of the land.
The sword of Paul within his hand,
As pledged by a Crusader's vow
He met the evil of the land.
Yet with his armèd presence went
His poet song, of love inspired,
And his rebukes, of stern intent,
With charity divine were fired.
His poet song, of love inspired,
And his rebukes, of stern intent,
With charity divine were fired.
“What ho! thou Quaker grim, come down!
The mob is clamoring for thy blood!”
I do not fear the Martyr's crown
Since Truth must conquer, by the rood.
The mob is clamoring for thy blood!”
I do not fear the Martyr's crown
Since Truth must conquer, by the rood.
“How shouldst thou go, thou man of Peace,
Where Tyranny's red banners wave?”
Until the bitter feud shall cease,
I take my stand beside the slave.
Where Tyranny's red banners wave?”
Until the bitter feud shall cease,
I take my stand beside the slave.
So Michael, with a brow of Heaven,
Trod the brute Satan underneath;
So to each loyal soul is given
The glory of Faith's civic wreath.
Trod the brute Satan underneath;
So to each loyal soul is given
The glory of Faith's civic wreath.
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And thou wert crowned, when crownèd were
Thy heart's high wishes for thy kind,
When spirits breathed a purer air,
And light prevailed o'er passions blind.
Thy heart's high wishes for thy kind,
When spirits breathed a purer air,
And light prevailed o'er passions blind.
Thy linkèd lustres sped away,
Bringing the heavenly hope more near,
While God's great order of our day
Grew to thy earnest sight more clear.
Bringing the heavenly hope more near,
While God's great order of our day
Grew to thy earnest sight more clear.
Numbers were gathered in thy train,
The captive helped in sorest need;
And souls that knew a subtler chain,
From iron superstition freed.
The captive helped in sorest need;
And souls that knew a subtler chain,
From iron superstition freed.
The song of labor thou mad'st sweet,
Setting thy tent on ocean beach;
When snow-bound were thy sober feet,
Thy mind essayed her eagle reach.
Setting thy tent on ocean beach;
When snow-bound were thy sober feet,
Thy mind essayed her eagle reach.
How shall we yield thee? Time doth rob
The very oracles divine.
The heart of love forgets to throb,
Silent and empty is the shrine.
The very oracles divine.
The heart of love forgets to throb,
Silent and empty is the shrine.
Yet was it burial when men laid
In earth thy reverend fold of dust?
Was thy life ended when they prayed
Above thy grave in trembling trust?
In earth thy reverend fold of dust?
Was thy life ended when they prayed
Above thy grave in trembling trust?
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Nay, with the spirit of thine age
Mingles the breath that did suspire;
And spread on many a radiant page
Abides the wealth of thy desire.
Mingles the breath that did suspire;
And spread on many a radiant page
Abides the wealth of thy desire.
And Freedom seated on her rock
Above the wrecks of Fate o'erthrown,
Thy record holds beyond the shock
Of change, her treasure, and our own.
Above the wrecks of Fate o'erthrown,
Thy record holds beyond the shock
Of change, her treasure, and our own.
1892.
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