 | The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Buchanan |  |
‘THE UNION.’
The speech our English freemen spoke
Still fills the plains afar,
Where branches of our English oak
Wave 'neath the Western star;
‘Be free!’ men cried in Shakespeare's tongue,
When smiting for the slave—
Thus Hampden's cry for freedom rung
As far as Lincoln's grave!
Still fills the plains afar,
Where branches of our English oak
Wave 'neath the Western star;
‘Be free!’ men cried in Shakespeare's tongue,
When smiting for the slave—
Thus Hampden's cry for freedom rung
As far as Lincoln's grave!
Back rings that cry from far away
To fill the Motherland,
Where 'neath the Union Jack this day
Both false and true men stand—
Hark to the foes of all things free,
Who, arm'd in hate, intone:
‘The Union! let our war-cry be
That word, and that alone!
To fill the Motherland,
Where 'neath the Union Jack this day
Both false and true men stand—
Hark to the foes of all things free,
Who, arm'd in hate, intone:
‘The Union! let our war-cry be
That word, and that alone!
‘The Union! Kiss the dead Christ's face
While brandishing the Sword,
Foster the scorn of race for race,
Exult, and praise the Lord!
Carry the rule of pride and hate
O'er earth, from pole to pole!
The Union! leave men desolate
But keep the Empire whole!’
While brandishing the Sword,
Foster the scorn of race for race,
Exult, and praise the Lord!
Carry the rule of pride and hate
O'er earth, from pole to pole!
The Union! leave men desolate
But keep the Empire whole!’
‘The Union? Yes, in God's name, still
The Union!’ we reply—
‘The Union of a Nation's will
Against each timbrel'd lie!
The Union beautiful and good
Of lands by Love made one!
One heart, one cause, one brotherhood,
One Empire 'neath the sun!
The Union!’ we reply—
‘The Union of a Nation's will
Against each timbrel'd lie!
The Union beautiful and good
Of lands by Love made one!
One heart, one cause, one brotherhood,
One Empire 'neath the sun!
332
‘That Union which hath been so long
Our boast from sea to sea,—
Justice, redressing human wrong,
Love, keeping all men free;
Not that which starves one hapless land
While others smile full-fed,
Not that which from another's hand
Would snatch the daily bread!
Our boast from sea to sea,—
Justice, redressing human wrong,
Love, keeping all men free;
Not that which starves one hapless land
While others smile full-fed,
Not that which from another's hand
Would snatch the daily bread!
‘Union in strength of Love, not Hate!
Union in Peace, not Strife!
Union to keep inviolate
The sacraments of Life!
Union is one great common aim,
Triumphant late or soon,
To share the freedom we proclaim
With all who beg the boon!
Union in Peace, not Strife!
Union to keep inviolate
The sacraments of Life!
Union is one great common aim,
Triumphant late or soon,
To share the freedom we proclaim
With all who beg the boon!
‘Not Union based on braggart's boasts
Or on the robber's creed,
Not Union thrust by armed hosts
On lives that would be freed!
Not Union fed by hate and wrath
Where'er the weak make moan,—
No, Union on the heavenward path
Where Justice hath her throne!
Or on the robber's creed,
Not Union thrust by armed hosts
On lives that would be freed!
Not Union fed by hate and wrath
Where'er the weak make moan,—
No, Union on the heavenward path
Where Justice hath her throne!
‘Justice to all, and first to those
Who speak our common speech—
Help to our brethren great or small,
Free thought, free laws, for each;
Who chains his brother to his side
Seeketh his help in vain,
And Might is impotent to guide
The souls that Love may gain.
Who speak our common speech—
Help to our brethren great or small,
Free thought, free laws, for each;
Who chains his brother to his side
Seeketh his help in vain,
And Might is impotent to guide
The souls that Love may gain.
‘This is the Union which is still
Our strength from sea to sea—
Freedom, whose mandates we fulfil
By leaving all men free
To sheathe the sword, to help man's lot,
To break each cruel chain . . .
The Union? Yes, by God!—but not
A pact 'tween Christ and Cain!’
Our strength from sea to sea—
Freedom, whose mandates we fulfil
By leaving all men free
To sheathe the sword, to help man's lot,
To break each cruel chain . . .
The Union? Yes, by God!—but not
A pact 'tween Christ and Cain!’
| The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Buchanan | |