 | Songs of Religion and Life |  |
216
A Revolutionary Ode.
‘I will overturn, overturn, overturn it!’
—Ezekiel.
—Ezekiel.
‘Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.’
Jeremiah.
Jeremiah.
I did dream a bodeful dreaming;
Thunders rolled, red fires were gleaming,
Earth did quake.
And I saw God's angel winging
Earthward, earnest message bringing;
Fearful in my ears 'tis ringing:
Thus he spake:
Thunders rolled, red fires were gleaming,
Earth did quake.
And I saw God's angel winging
Earthward, earnest message bringing;
Fearful in my ears 'tis ringing:
Thus he spake:
‘Rouse thee, Wrath, and be a giant!
People's Will, that hath been pliant
Long, too long,
Up! and snap the rusty chaining,
Brittle bond for thy restraining;
Know the hour; the weak are reigning;
Thou art strong.
People's Will, that hath been pliant
Long, too long,
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Brittle bond for thy restraining;
Know the hour; the weak are reigning;
Thou art strong.
‘Rise, and right the wrongs of ages,
Balance Time's unequal pages
With the sword!
Velvet-cushioned fools have slumbered,
Wanton weeds my garden cumbered;
Now their barren days are numbered,
Saith the Lord.
Balance Time's unequal pages
With the sword!
Velvet-cushioned fools have slumbered,
Wanton weeds my garden cumbered;
Now their barren days are numbered,
Saith the Lord.
‘Hear, ye loveless, narrow-hearted,
Few for whom the many smarted,
Hear my word!
I have heard the people's moaning,
I have known the poor man's groaning,
I have vowed a red atoning,
Saith the Lord!
Few for whom the many smarted,
Hear my word!
I have heard the people's moaning,
I have known the poor man's groaning,
I have vowed a red atoning,
Saith the Lord!
218
‘Who have lived in pillowed pleasure,
Ye shall now, in righteous measure,
Eat the dust;
Who beheld the bondman sallow
Pine, that ye in lust might wallow,
Ye shall fat young Freedom's fallow!
So 'tis just.
Ye shall now, in righteous measure,
Eat the dust;
Who beheld the bondman sallow
Pine, that ye in lust might wallow,
Ye shall fat young Freedom's fallow!
So 'tis just.
‘People's heroes, mountain-breasted,
Looking lightnings, tempest-crested,
Seize the sword
Bellow with a vengeful thunder,
Turn each topmost over under,
Let Pride's purple minions wonder,
Saith the Lord!
Looking lightnings, tempest-crested,
Seize the sword
Bellow with a vengeful thunder,
Turn each topmost over under,
Let Pride's purple minions wonder,
Saith the Lord!
‘For their hopes a strong delusion,
For their plans a dark confusion,
I have stored;
Pride with folly shall be mated,
Wisdom still shall come belated,
Mercy shall not find the fated,
Saith the Lord!
For their plans a dark confusion,
I have stored;
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Wisdom still shall come belated,
Mercy shall not find the fated,
Saith the Lord!
‘Iron men and unrelenting,
Who shall do, without repenting,
Deeds abhorred,
For my vengeance I have chosen;
Them no wheedling words shall cozen;
They are hard, their tears are frozen,
Saith the Lord!
Who shall do, without repenting,
Deeds abhorred,
For my vengeance I have chosen;
Them no wheedling words shall cozen;
They are hard, their tears are frozen,
Saith the Lord!
‘Sudden fear shall seize the palace;
Every wile of witless malice
Shall be tried.
Things despised, the weak, the nameless,
I will fire with fury tameless;
They shall smite, themselves not blameless,
Blameful pride.
Every wile of witless malice
Shall be tried.
Things despised, the weak, the nameless,
I will fire with fury tameless;
They shall smite, themselves not blameless,
Blameful pride.
220
‘Kings shall meet and band together,
Despot spread for despot brother
Solemn board.
What they vow they shall pursue it,
I will spur and goad them to it;
They shall do; I will undo it,
Saith the Lord!
Despot spread for despot brother
Solemn board.
What they vow they shall pursue it,
I will spur and goad them to it;
They shall do; I will undo it,
Saith the Lord!
‘March, mine elect iron warriors!
Strike! and old Pride's jealous barriers
Stand no more.
Ye shall judge the kings with rigour,
Ope the lists to strength and vigour;
Earth her increase to the digger
Shall restore.
Strike! and old Pride's jealous barriers
Stand no more.
Ye shall judge the kings with rigour,
Ope the lists to strength and vigour;
Earth her increase to the digger
Shall restore.
‘Tear the patch-work, rend the rotten,
Let the useless be forgotten,
Earth the dead!
Time 'tis none for square and bevel,
Those I send shall raze and level;
Terror through the courtly revel
They shall spread!
Let the useless be forgotten,
Earth the dead!
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Those I send shall raze and level;
Terror through the courtly revel
They shall spread!
‘Wit I sent—the fools did scoff it;
Love they knew not; now my prophet
Is the Sword.
With stern hate I have begun it;
When strong Love hath bravely won it,
They shall know that I have done it,
Saith the Lord!’
Love they knew not; now my prophet
Is the Sword.
With stern hate I have begun it;
When strong Love hath bravely won it,
They shall know that I have done it,
Saith the Lord!’
Spake the God-sent, thunder-knelling,
Feeble hearts of men compelling,
And upsoared.
I with salvèd sight awaking,
In swift ruin's overtaking,
In the firm Earth's fearful quaking,
Knew the Lord.
Feeble hearts of men compelling,
And upsoared.
I with salvèd sight awaking,
In swift ruin's overtaking,
In the firm Earth's fearful quaking,
Knew the Lord.
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