 | The Poems of Thomas Davis |  |
WE MUST NOT FAIL.
I
We must not fail, we must not fail,However fraud or force assail;
By honour, pride, and policy,
By Heaven itself!—we must be free.
II
Time had already thinned our chain,Time would have dulled our sense of pain;
By service long, and suppliance vile,
We might have won our owner's smile.
III
We spurned the thought, our prison burst.And dared the despot to the worst;
Renewed the strife of centuries,
And flung our banner to the breeze.
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IV
We called the ends of earth to viewThe gallant deeds we swore to do;
They knew us wronged, they knew us brave,
And, all we asked, they freely gave.
V
We took the starving peasant's miteTo aid in winning back his right,
We took the priceless trust of youth;
Their freedom must redeem our truth.
VI
We promised loud, and boasted high,“To break our country's chains, or die;”
And, should we quail, that country's name
Will be the synonyme of shame.
VII
Earth is not deep enough to hideThe coward slave who shrinks aside;
Hell is not hot enough to scathe
The ruffian wretch who breaks his faith.
VIII
But—calm, my soul!—we promised trueHer destined work our land shall do;
Thought, courage, patience will prevail!
We shall not fail—we shall not fail!
| The Poems of Thomas Davis | |