 | Miami Woods : a golden wedding and other poems |  |
207
Be Firm!—Be True!
... “As the sun,
Ere it has risen, sometimes paints its image
In the atmosphere, so often do the spirits
Of great events stride on before the events—
And in to-day already walks to-morrow.”
Schiller—“Wallenstein.”
Ere it has risen, sometimes paints its image
In the atmosphere, so often do the spirits
Of great events stride on before the events—
And in to-day already walks to-morrow.”
Schiller—“Wallenstein.”
Statesman! on the giddy height
Whence, at will, thou swayest men,
Steals a darkness o'er thy sight?
Moves a cloud within thy ken?
Be firm!—Be true!
And though the hurtling heav'ns grow black,
Unfailing light shall gild thy track.
Whence, at will, thou swayest men,
Steals a darkness o'er thy sight?
Moves a cloud within thy ken?
Be firm!—Be true!
And though the hurtling heav'ns grow black,
Unfailing light shall gild thy track.
Orator! amid the crowd
Moved like waves at thy behest,
Hear'st thou that which, shouted loud,
Were a terror to thy breast?
Be firm!—Be true!
Then fall what may upon thine ear,
Thy heart shall feel no coward fear.
Moved like waves at thy behest,
Hear'st thou that which, shouted loud,
Were a terror to thy breast?
208
Then fall what may upon thine ear,
Thy heart shall feel no coward fear.
Christian! of the faith of Rome!
Do you hear a hissing scorn
Rising 'gainst you, in the home
Of your new-adoption born?
Be firm!—Be true!
If God is with you, what care ye
Though hate roar as a raging sea?
Do you hear a hissing scorn
Rising 'gainst you, in the home
Of your new-adoption born?
Be firm!—Be true!
If God is with you, what care ye
Though hate roar as a raging sea?
Christian! of the faith that laid
Rome's old bondage in the dust!
Fear'st thou that thou art betray'd?
Feel'st thou that this quarrel's just?
Be firm!—Be true!
Fall if it must be in the strife,
But yield not thou one inch for life!
Rome's old bondage in the dust!
Fear'st thou that thou art betray'd?
Feel'st thou that this quarrel's just?
Be firm!—Be true!
Fall if it must be in the strife,
But yield not thou one inch for life!
Stranger! from a clime abroad,
From a land beyond the sea,
Deem'st thou in thy heart that God
Gives a home-right here to thee?
Be firm!—Be true!
And though it cost thee all thou hast,
Assert that right while life shall last.
From a land beyond the sea,
Deem'st thou in thy heart that God
Gives a home-right here to thee?
Be firm!—Be true!
And though it cost thee all thou hast,
Assert that right while life shall last.
209
Freeman! born upon the soil!
Fully, fairly, deemest thou
Alien arts would make a spoil
Of this land of freedom now:
Be firm!—Be true!
Resolve on what will shield from harm,
And do it with no laggard arm!
Fully, fairly, deemest thou
Alien arts would make a spoil
Of this land of freedom now:
Be firm!—Be true!
Resolve on what will shield from harm,
And do it with no laggard arm!
Man! of every clime and creed!
With a high and holy trust,
Dost thou on thy mission speed,
Seeking but the Right, the Just?
Be firm!—Be true!
Though sorely tried in many a way,
Despair not!—God will bring thy Day.
With a high and holy trust,
Dost thou on thy mission speed,
Seeking but the Right, the Just?
Be firm!—Be true!
Though sorely tried in many a way,
Despair not!—God will bring thy Day.
| Miami Woods : a golden wedding and other poems | |