English Roses by F. Harald Williams [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] |
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IN HONOREM V.R.I. 20 JUNE, 1897. |
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 | English Roses |  |
IN HONOREM V.R.I. 20 JUNE, 1897.
Best of wives and best of mothers,
Best of women, Gracious Queen,
Who hast made all men as brothers
If with unity unseen;
And conjoined in gentle nations
Our divided populations,
With no bar but love between!
Honoured heart of royal nature,
More than beautiful bright soul,
Thou hast risen up to the stature
Of a perfect self-control;
And we bless thee and address thee,
Proved alike in good and ill,
Re-anointed, re-appointed
Now with universal will.
First of Ladies, in the shelter
Of thy kindness we have grown,
Through the shadow wild and welter,
To find liberty our own;
And thy life has been the measure
Of our England's grandest treasure,
And a truth till then unknown.
Best of women, Gracious Queen,
Who hast made all men as brothers
If with unity unseen;
And conjoined in gentle nations
Our divided populations,
With no bar but love between!
Honoured heart of royal nature,
More than beautiful bright soul,
Thou hast risen up to the stature
Of a perfect self-control;
And we bless thee and address thee,
Proved alike in good and ill,
Re-anointed, re-appointed
Now with universal will.
First of Ladies, in the shelter
Of thy kindness we have grown,
Through the shadow wild and welter,
To find liberty our own;
And thy life has been the measure
Of our England's grandest treasure,
And a truth till then unknown.
Yes, with giant powers and paces
We have leapt into the light,
With its heritage of graces
And the gift of godlike might;
O thy rule has added splendour
To our progress, by surrender
For our weal of ancient right.
Children, plucked from Moloch orgies
In the cruel mine and mill,
Scarred by blows or flaming forges
Which upon them wreaked their fill,
Hail affection and protection
Clasping them as with a zone,
And thy thirsty pity bursting
Like a fountain from the Throne.
And the wants of maid and matron
Long unheard and long denied,
Knew in thee a noble patron—
One by sorrow not untried.
Lo, they looked to thee in fateful
Hours and won responses grateful,
And their fetters were untied.
We have leapt into the light,
With its heritage of graces
And the gift of godlike might;
O thy rule has added splendour
To our progress, by surrender
For our weal of ancient right.
Children, plucked from Moloch orgies
In the cruel mine and mill,
Scarred by blows or flaming forges
Which upon them wreaked their fill,
221
Clasping them as with a zone,
And thy thirsty pity bursting
Like a fountain from the Throne.
And the wants of maid and matron
Long unheard and long denied,
Knew in thee a noble patron—
One by sorrow not untried.
Lo, they looked to thee in fateful
Hours and won responses grateful,
And their fetters were untied.
Best of wives and best of mothers,
Best of women, Gracious Queen;
When we gat no help from others,
Thy great mercy was our screen;
To the castle, and the cottage
With its humble mess of pottage,
Thou hast ever faithful been.
In the doom of fear or famine,
When the statesman hurried by
Or would fain at ease examine
Figures, vast thy sympathy.
Thou wast ready, with a steady
Love that did not once deceive;
Thy pure living, more than giving,
Soothed when nothing could relieve.
First of Ladies, with the sweetness
Of thy sixty glorious years
We have gained a rich completeness,
For our triumphs and our tears;
From the clear and calm endurance
Of thy care, and its assurance
Which the heart to heart endears.
Best of women, Gracious Queen;
When we gat no help from others,
Thy great mercy was our screen;
To the castle, and the cottage
With its humble mess of pottage,
Thou hast ever faithful been.
In the doom of fear or famine,
When the statesman hurried by
Or would fain at ease examine
Figures, vast thy sympathy.
Thou wast ready, with a steady
Love that did not once deceive;
Thy pure living, more than giving,
Soothed when nothing could relieve.
First of Ladies, with the sweetness
Of thy sixty glorious years
We have gained a rich completeness,
For our triumphs and our tears;
From the clear and calm endurance
Of thy care, and its assurance
Which the heart to heart endears.
O the marvels and the magic
Springing as beneath thy rod,
With a balm for burdens tragic
And a ladder up to God;
When to souls condemned to sickness
Healing came in hopeful quickness,
And with science blessing trod!
Pain was banished, time and distance
Conquered by compelling thought,
And the bounds that seemed resistance
Were to soft subjection brought.
Space was travelled, and unravelled
Heaven its riddles yielded up;
And the mortal, at its portal,
Deeply drank nepenthe's cup.
Bridled steam and bitted lightning
Yoked thy chariot as it flew
Over lands and waters, bright'ning
Earth with miracles anew;
While a fresh and fairer nation,
Like some goodly young creation,
Round the world a wonder grew.
Springing as beneath thy rod,
With a balm for burdens tragic
And a ladder up to God;
When to souls condemned to sickness
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And with science blessing trod!
Pain was banished, time and distance
Conquered by compelling thought,
And the bounds that seemed resistance
Were to soft subjection brought.
Space was travelled, and unravelled
Heaven its riddles yielded up;
And the mortal, at its portal,
Deeply drank nepenthe's cup.
Bridled steam and bitted lightning
Yoked thy chariot as it flew
Over lands and waters, bright'ning
Earth with miracles anew;
While a fresh and fairer nation,
Like some goodly young creation,
Round the world a wonder grew.
Best of wives and best of mothers,
Best of women, Gracious Queen,
Age with which oblivion smothers
Lesser lights unfolds thy sheen;
And its story shall wax greater
Yet, with majesty sedater,
And a central sun be seen.
Live, when into the late darkness
Thou hast stept victorious still,
And thy hand assumes the starkness
Of our common human ill!
Live, in kindness, mid the blindness
Which descends upon us all;
And in pleasant fancies present,
Reign when other sovereigns fall!
Be remembered, not like sages
By profoundness of wise arts,
But as written on the pages
Of a thousand thankful hearts;
As the servant crowned and willing
Of a people's choice, fulfilling
But for them thy deathless parts.
Best of women, Gracious Queen,
Age with which oblivion smothers
Lesser lights unfolds thy sheen;
And its story shall wax greater
Yet, with majesty sedater,
And a central sun be seen.
Live, when into the late darkness
Thou hast stept victorious still,
And thy hand assumes the starkness
Of our common human ill!
Live, in kindness, mid the blindness
Which descends upon us all;
And in pleasant fancies present,
Reign when other sovereigns fall!
Be remembered, not like sages
By profoundness of wise arts,
But as written on the pages
Of a thousand thankful hearts;
As the servant crowned and willing
Of a people's choice, fulfilling
But for them thy deathless parts.
223
Not the iron wall of vessels
Girdling us against our foes,
Not the famous flag that wrestles
Proudly with the thunder throes;
Not the steel-tipt ranks of rifles
Fronting dangers as if trifles,
In a blood-red world of woes;
Not the rule of righteous order
Carried far in heathen night,
Till it plants our peaceful border
Up on murder's broken might;
Not the science with defiance
Of the stormy wind and wave,
Onward bringing light and wringing
Secrets from the very grave!
None of these, although the strongest,
Worthy records of thy sway;
But that love, which wears the longest,
Breathing from thy blessed way;
And the life, by lofty pureness,
Stretching forth with holy sureness
To the broader better Day.
Girdling us against our foes,
Not the famous flag that wrestles
Proudly with the thunder throes;
Not the steel-tipt ranks of rifles
Fronting dangers as if trifles,
In a blood-red world of woes;
Not the rule of righteous order
Carried far in heathen night,
Till it plants our peaceful border
Up on murder's broken might;
Not the science with defiance
Of the stormy wind and wave,
Onward bringing light and wringing
Secrets from the very grave!
None of these, although the strongest,
Worthy records of thy sway;
But that love, which wears the longest,
Breathing from thy blessed way;
And the life, by lofty pureness,
Stretching forth with holy sureness
To the broader better Day.
| English Roses | |