 | Complete Poems of Frances E. W. Harper |  |
THE TENNESSEE HERO
“He had heard his comrades plotting to obtain their liberty, and rather than betray them he received 750 lashes and died.”
He stood before the savage throng,
The base and coward crew;
A tameless light flashed from his eye,
His heart beat firm and true.
The base and coward crew;
A tameless light flashed from his eye,
His heart beat firm and true.
He was the hero of his band,
The noblest of them all;
Though fetters galled his weary limbs,
His spirit spurned their thrall.
The noblest of them all;
Though fetters galled his weary limbs,
His spirit spurned their thrall.
And towered, in its manly might,
Above the murderous crew.
Oh! liberty had nerved his heart,
And every pulse beat true.
Above the murderous crew.
Oh! liberty had nerved his heart,
And every pulse beat true.
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“Now tell us,” said the savage troop,
“And life thy gain shall be!
Who are the men that plotting, say—
‘They must and will be free!’”
“And life thy gain shall be!
Who are the men that plotting, say—
‘They must and will be free!’”
Oh, could you have seen the hero then,
As his lofty soul arose,
And his dauntless eyes defiance flashed
On his mean and craven foes!
As his lofty soul arose,
And his dauntless eyes defiance flashed
On his mean and craven foes!
“I know the men who would be free;
They are the heroes of your land;
But death and torture I defy,
Ere I betray that band.
They are the heroes of your land;
But death and torture I defy,
Ere I betray that band.
“And what! oh, what is life to me,
Beneath your base control?
Nay! do your worst. Ye have no chains
To bind my free-born soul.”
Beneath your base control?
Nay! do your worst. Ye have no chains
To bind my free-born soul.”
They brought the hateful lash and scourge,
With murder in each eye.
But a solemn vow was on his lips—
He had resolved to die.
With murder in each eye.
But a solemn vow was on his lips—
He had resolved to die.
Yes, rather than betray his trust,
He'd meet a death of pain;
'Twas sweeter far to meet it thus
Than wear a treason stain!
He'd meet a death of pain;
'Twas sweeter far to meet it thus
Than wear a treason stain!
Like storms of wrath, of hate and pain,
The blows rained thick and fast;
But the monarch soul kept true
Till the gates of life were past.
The blows rained thick and fast;
But the monarch soul kept true
Till the gates of life were past.
And the martyr spirit fled
To the throne of God on high,
And showed his gaping wounds
Before the unslumbering eye.
To the throne of God on high,
And showed his gaping wounds
Before the unslumbering eye.
| Complete Poems of Frances E. W. Harper | |