The early poems of John Clare 1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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| a. | THE LABOURERS HYMN (a)
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
THE LABOURERS HYMN (a)
Reforming men of England support your hardy name
Nor leagued with cunning knaves grow infamous in fame
Dishonour not the soil where our fathers they were born
Nor let their boast of honesty be lost in utter scorn
Stand up & join the honest both in courage & in mind
Nor let the day light blush at deeds that darkness leaves behind
For your symbol is the Lion whose courage is the true
Then never shame your colours with the deeds that pirates do
Nor leagued with cunning knaves grow infamous in fame
Dishonour not the soil where our fathers they were born
Nor let their boast of honesty be lost in utter scorn
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Nor let the day light blush at deeds that darkness leaves behind
For your symbol is the Lion whose courage is the true
Then never shame your colours with the deeds that pirates do
Hail ye no tempting symbols by tyrant hands unfurled
Who while they raved for liberty forged chains for all the world
Your own king is a sailor—then muster at the helm
& stand against all wrongs that all rights would overwhelm
Prepare ye for the danger—& the danger will be past
Tho the knave & the cunning take their watch at the mast
Then hail no other sign but the red white & blue
While our symbol is the Lion & our motto is ‘the true’
Who while they raved for liberty forged chains for all the world
Your own king is a sailor—then muster at the helm
& stand against all wrongs that all rights would overwhelm
Prepare ye for the danger—& the danger will be past
Tho the knave & the cunning take their watch at the mast
Then hail no other sign but the red white & blue
While our symbol is the Lion & our motto is ‘the true’
We look upon the mischievous with sorrow & with scorn
But the tares & the thistles will be weeded from the corn
Self interest may plunge into dark mutiny
But thats no example for you or for me
Our hearts are for the honest & the honest we will join
For the king he is our helm & the lion is our sign
Protection is our faith & black injury shall rue
For well never shame our colours with the deeds the cunning do
But the tares & the thistles will be weeded from the corn
Self interest may plunge into dark mutiny
But thats no example for you or for me
Our hearts are for the honest & the honest we will join
For the king he is our helm & the lion is our sign
Protection is our faith & black injury shall rue
For well never shame our colours with the deeds the cunning do
You own no boasting vanity to shout & to rave
Of valour round our hearth stones—for danger makes the brave
But our silence is no proof that our courage is not there
So the money mart of knavery had better beware
The king he is your sailor & the lion is your sign
& yell neer disgrace your colours in a mutiny to join
Our hearts are with the honest & with them well buckle too
—No—well never shame our symbol with the deeds that cowards do
Of valour round our hearth stones—for danger makes the brave
But our silence is no proof that our courage is not there
So the money mart of knavery had better beware
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& yell neer disgrace your colours in a mutiny to join
Our hearts are with the honest & with them well buckle too
—No—well never shame our symbol with the deeds that cowards do
We would scorn to hurt a stranger as we would to hurt a friend
Or leave our honest labour to attain the rebels end
Well dare to do by day all the things we have to do
Coward deeds would shame our banner while its motto is ‘the true’
Our hearts are all for peace & our symbol is at lare
& knaves who would rouse him had better beware
For the king he is our sailor & the lion is our sign
& well neer disgrace our colours in a mutiny to join
Or leave our honest labour to attain the rebels end
Well dare to do by day all the things we have to do
Coward deeds would shame our banner while its motto is ‘the true’
Our hearts are all for peace & our symbol is at lare
& knaves who would rouse him had better beware
For the king he is our sailor & the lion is our sign
& well neer disgrace our colours in a mutiny to join
Our courage shall correct foes mistakes in the end
& honesty erase all suspicions in a friend
For freedom is our birthright & ere the sneakey knave
Shall force us into mischief our freedom to enslave
Our firesides shall grow parliments our cottages be towers
For wrong shall never claim the right that all acknowledge ours
For our symbol is the lion & his courage is the true
& well never join or side with deeds that knaves or cowards do
& honesty erase all suspicions in a friend
For freedom is our birthright & ere the sneakey knave
Shall force us into mischief our freedom to enslave
Our firesides shall grow parliments our cottages be towers
For wrong shall never claim the right that all acknowledge ours
For our symbol is the lion & his courage is the true
& well never join or side with deeds that knaves or cowards do
To injure another that shall never be our creed
To better ourselves no wed scorn such a deed
Our wrongs have been many our dependance was poor
It was honesty to wait it was honour to endure
For the hind loves his honour tho in ditches he delves
& well never hurt another to better ourselves
For our king is a sailor & the lion is our sign
& well never shame our colours in a mutiny to join
To better ourselves no wed scorn such a deed
Our wrongs have been many our dependance was poor
It was honesty to wait it was honour to endure
For the hind loves his honour tho in ditches he delves
& well never hurt another to better ourselves
For our king is a sailor & the lion is our sign
& well never shame our colours in a mutiny to join
Well do no wrong to any one to make ourselves amends
& all whose hearts are honest shall be first among our friends
& well assist & join them tho few the number be
For brooks will run to rivers & the rivers grow a sea
& so reform shall flourish into oceans at the end
When our griefs shall be with enemys & our pleasures with a friend
For our symbol is the lion & his followers the true
& well scorn to cause the sun to blush on deeds that cowards do
& all whose hearts are honest shall be first among our friends
& well assist & join them tho few the number be
For brooks will run to rivers & the rivers grow a sea
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When our griefs shall be with enemys & our pleasures with a friend
For our symbol is the lion & his followers the true
& well scorn to cause the sun to blush on deeds that cowards do
Well join heart & hand be the tempest what it may
To quell coward insults & drive knaves away
They shall not cheat our knowledge they shall not steal our dower
For reason is our birthright & her law it is our power
Our king is at the helm & the honest are his stay
& defence it is our shield be the storm what it may
Weve a hand for a weapon weve a cause to pursue
For our sign is the lion & our motto is ‘the true’
To quell coward insults & drive knaves away
They shall not cheat our knowledge they shall not steal our dower
For reason is our birthright & her law it is our power
Our king is at the helm & the honest are his stay
& defence it is our shield be the storm what it may
Weve a hand for a weapon weve a cause to pursue
For our sign is the lion & our motto is ‘the true’
Our countrys our home & well haste to the call
For the friends of the honest are the friends of us all
When our neighbours in danger the dangers our own
& knaves they will wish they had left us alone
For our symbol is ready & were all in a mind
Who shrinks to be with us may tarry behind
Our Friends shall near doubt of a deed we may do
For the king is our helm & our motto ‘the true’
For the friends of the honest are the friends of us all
When our neighbours in danger the dangers our own
& knaves they will wish they had left us alone
For our symbol is ready & were all in a mind
Who shrinks to be with us may tarry behind
Our Friends shall near doubt of a deed we may do
For the king is our helm & our motto ‘the true’
| The early poems of John Clare | |