 | Voices and visions |  |
160
THE ENIGMA
Sweeps of mellowing prairie, soaked with suns and rains;
Breadths of patriarch forest never an axeblow stains;
Wreaths of radiant rivers, marged with fecund soil;
Miles of houseless farmland, hungering for man's toil;
Troops of sovereign mountains, rich with precious ore;
Droves of game that scamper, flocks that float or soar;
Nature's hand so bounteous!—Yet (whate'er it means!)
Twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars
For the Philippines!
Breadths of patriarch forest never an axeblow stains;
Wreaths of radiant rivers, marged with fecund soil;
Miles of houseless farmland, hungering for man's toil;
Troops of sovereign mountains, rich with precious ore;
Droves of game that scamper, flocks that float or soar;
Nature's hand so bounteous!—Yet (whate'er it means!)
Twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars
For the Philippines!
Factories crammed with craftsfolk, deft at spools and looms;
Mines where grisly thousands delve in sullen glooms;
Fields where stalwart scythemen crop the lissome wheat;
Seas where tawny fishers urge the fruitful fleet;
Bred and reared and slaughtered, swarms of swine and kine;
Orchards orbed with apples, grapes that whelm their vine;
Largess poured from Labour!—Yet (whate'er it means!)
Twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars
For the Philippines!
Mines where grisly thousands delve in sullen glooms;
Fields where stalwart scythemen crop the lissome wheat;
Seas where tawny fishers urge the fruitful fleet;
Bred and reared and slaughtered, swarms of swine and kine;
Orchards orbed with apples, grapes that whelm their vine;
Largess poured from Labour!—Yet (whate'er it means!)
Twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars
For the Philippines!
161
In the mightiest city that our New World rears
Bribery stalking lawless, justice choked with jeers;
Washingtonian Senates fouled by guileful tricks;
Halls of court and council smeared with politics;
Money and honour fighting—strong that fights with frail;
Patriotism at auction, statesmanship for sale;
Civic avarice rampant—Yet (whate'er it means!)
Twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars
For the Philippines!
Bribery stalking lawless, justice choked with jeers;
Washingtonian Senates fouled by guileful tricks;
Halls of court and council smeared with politics;
Money and honour fighting—strong that fights with frail;
Patriotism at auction, statesmanship for sale;
Civic avarice rampant—Yet (whate'er it means!)
Twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars
For the Philippines!
School, asylum and sick-house yet forlornly few;
Mercy in anguish pleading for the dole her due;
Throngs of ragged children lean from famine's irk;
Many a sturdy workman craving honest work;
Widow and orphan helpless, age from comfort shorn;
Dark disease rank-flowering where in filth 'twas born;
Plenty and want still battlers—Yet (whate'er it means!)
Twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars
For the Philippines!
Mercy in anguish pleading for the dole her due;
Throngs of ragged children lean from famine's irk;
Many a sturdy workman craving honest work;
Widow and orphan helpless, age from comfort shorn;
Dark disease rank-flowering where in filth 'twas born;
Plenty and want still battlers—Yet (whate'er it means!)
Twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars, twenty million dollars
For the Philippines!
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