Poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

It shall be told in thunders
That smite the tyrants down—
In shouts of rising nations,
That shatter throne and crown.
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

Thank God! we learn'd it early,
And early spoke it out;
'Twas thunder'd, boys, at Edgehill,
It rang through Naseby's shout;
And kings went down before it—
They own'd its might too late—
A Charles in '47,
A James in '88.
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

And, God be thank'd! our brothers
Its teachings well had learn'd,
When Boston, Brunswick stamp-acts
And Brunswick ruling spurn'd;
From Bunker's Hill in tempests
To George's ears 'twas borne;
At York, for good his threats, boys,
And him it laugh'd to scorn.
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

In France, a century mutter'd,
In '89 'twas heard,
And Louis, paltering with it,
Fell crush'd beneath the Word;

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Their Bourbons strove, in '30,
To hush that cry in vain;
In eighteen years, away, boys,
It rent their crown again.
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

But 'twas in '48, boys,
It show'd what it could do;
From land to land—from nation
To nation, fierce it flew;
From throne to shatter'd throne, boys,
Lay its destroying track,
And despot to cow'd despot
In trembling howl'd it back.
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

From palace swift to palace,
On swept the mighty cry,
The shout of sunless nations
That hail'd the day-dawn nigh,
The clang of falling fetters
That rang from shore to shore,
The songs that told to tyrants
That slaves were slaves no more.
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

From city on to city,
Its hope and gladness sprung;
Palermo toss'd it on, boys,
It leapt from Genoa's tongue;

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How quick the lips of Venice
Its earthquake-accents learn'd!
A trumpet-blast to Pesth, boys,
How swift her yoke she spurn'd!
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

Then trembled Spain's poor despot,
Then Prussia's pedant lied;
It trod on trampling Naples,
It broke the Hapsburg's pride;
Arm'd, Milan sprang to greet it,
From 'neath the Austrian's heel;
Free, Rome exulting heard it,
And clash'd it on with steel.
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

It sank, and lost awhile, boys,
A while, alone, it seems;
But slaves, their hearts still hold it,
It haunts their tyrants' dreams.
When shall their free lips speak it,
Their lips that now are dumb?
When will its day of triumph,
Its day of vengeance, come?
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

Hurrah! the Czar goes down, boys,
Each hated despot's stay!
From ev'ry tyrant's throne, boys,
We hew the prop away,

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What matter though a despot
Breaks down the despot's sway?
He does but do our work, boys,
And Hungary's debt we pay.
O were the Word but spoken
That now must whisper'd be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

And we—we scorn its teaching?
In freedom's cause allied
With crowns and thrones, with peoples
Dare we not, boys, to side?
No—let the Word be spoken,
Shall we not heed its call?
Shall we not strike for freedom?
With freedom stand or fall?
O were the Word but spoken
That whisper'd now must be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!

What, we who vaunt our freedom,
When slaves for freedom rise,
Shall we not help the nations
To win the rights we prize?
Shall not our hearts be with them?
Shall not our right arms be
With all who strike that day, boys,
Like us, boys, to be free?
O were the Word but spoken
That now must whisper'd be,
The Word that, once more spoken,
Shall strike the bound earth free!