 | Jones Very : The Complete Poems |  |
252
The Congress Of Peace At Brussels
From out the midst of Europe in alarms,
A voice is heard persuading men to peace;
A voice whose power with heavenly music charms,
And bids the tumult of the world to cease.
A voice is heard persuading men to peace;
A voice whose power with heavenly music charms,
And bids the tumult of the world to cease.
The nations, blessed with thirty years repose,
Seemed on the borders of the promised land;
The land that war's fierce conflicts never knows,
Where all who live are one united band.
Seemed on the borders of the promised land;
The land that war's fierce conflicts never knows,
Where all who live are one united band.
And even now they stand on Jordan's stream;
But unbelief still sways the human mind;
And all the glorious prospect seems a dream,
For to its near approach their souls are blind.
But unbelief still sways the human mind;
And all the glorious prospect seems a dream,
For to its near approach their souls are blind.
Not by the sword, or violence shall rights,
Long lost to nations, be at once regained;
Not by the prowess shown in deadly fights,
Shall Freedom, once achieved, be still maintained.
Long lost to nations, be at once regained;
Not by the prowess shown in deadly fights,
Shall Freedom, once achieved, be still maintained.
God of one blood has all the nations made
To dwell, in peace, together on the earth;
That none should be of others' power afraid,
And none should boast them of a nobler birth.
To dwell, in peace, together on the earth;
That none should be of others' power afraid,
And none should boast them of a nobler birth.
We are all One. Boast not of rights, if won
By conquering hosts upon the gory plain;
But mourn for what thine own right hand hath done,
Nor think thy brother's blood thy Country's gain.
By conquering hosts upon the gory plain;
But mourn for what thine own right hand hath done,
Nor think thy brother's blood thy Country's gain.
Humanity laments, and still will weep
Her slaughtered sons of every age, and clime;
And hourly does her fasts and vigils keep
For millions perished since the birth of time!
Her slaughtered sons of every age, and clime;
And hourly does her fasts and vigils keep
For millions perished since the birth of time!
And shall she never from the dust arise,
And put her robe of fleecy whiteness on;
And dry her swoln, and ever-flowing eyes
For wrongs, that man his brother man has done?
And put her robe of fleecy whiteness on;
And dry her swoln, and ever-flowing eyes
For wrongs, that man his brother man has done?
Yes: for though passing clouds may dim her sight,
They shall not long prevent the approaching day;
Already are the hill-tops glad with light,
And man's proud tyrants starting with dismay.
They shall not long prevent the approaching day;
253
And man's proud tyrants starting with dismay.
Soon shall she see her children dwell in peace
On all the earth, of every name and clime;
Their friendly intercourse of love increase,
Unfettered by the bonds of space and time!
On all the earth, of every name and clime;
Their friendly intercourse of love increase,
Unfettered by the bonds of space and time!
A deep abiding joy her soul shall fill,
Beholding thus her countless children blest;
Secure from rude alarms, from every ill,
And entering here on their eternal rest!
Beholding thus her countless children blest;
Secure from rude alarms, from every ill,
And entering here on their eternal rest!
Poem No. 141; 24 November 1848
| Jones Very : The Complete Poems | |