 | The Poems of Richard Watson Gilder |  |
304
THE NEW POLITICIAN
While others hedged, or silent lay,He to the people spoke all day;
Ay, and he said precisely what
He thought; each time he touched the spot.
“In heaven's name, what does he mean!
Was ever such blind folly seen!”
The wag-beard politicians cried:
“Can no one stop the man?” they sighed.
“This ‘talking frankly’ may be fun,
But when have such mad tactics won?
He may be happy, but the cost
Is ours! The whole election's lost!”
And still the people at his feet
Followed and cheered from street to street.
Truly this ne'er was known before:
No soldier, sailor, orator,
No hero home from battle he
Whom welcoming thousands rush to see;
But just a man who dared to take
His stand on justice, make or break;
'T was all because the people found
A man by no conventions bound;
Who sought to heal their black disgrace
By treating rich and poor the same,
Giving to crime its ugly name,
Damning the guilty to their face.
And when the votes, at last, were read
Our candidate ran clear ahead!
This be his glory and renown:
He told the truth—and took the town.
| The Poems of Richard Watson Gilder | |