 | Gathered poems of Ernest Myers |  |
78
ITALIA UNA
“What though the branch be broken
And fit for winter flame,
Yet shows it still a token
Of the high wood whence it came.”
And fit for winter flame,
Yet shows it still a token
Of the high wood whence it came.”
So sang the ancient singer
:
And, though men deemed her dead,
They saw a radiance linger
Around that royal head.
And, though men deemed her dead,
They saw a radiance linger
Around that royal head.
But lo, the leaves are springing
From that dead branch and dry,
New life thy breath is bringing,
Thou hard-won Liberty.
From that dead branch and dry,
New life thy breath is bringing,
Thou hard-won Liberty.
79
And these memorial mountains,
And woods of grey and green,
And voice of falling fountains,
Shall hail thee for their queen:
And woods of grey and green,
And voice of falling fountains,
Shall hail thee for their queen:
And gates of song and story,
Made pure from shame and sin,
Roll back to greet the glory
Of thy fair feet entering in.
Made pure from shame and sin,
Roll back to greet the glory
Of thy fair feet entering in.
Like mighty waters meeting
Our voice with hers shall cry—
A great acclaim of greeting—
England to Italy:
Our voice with hers shall cry—
A great acclaim of greeting—
England to Italy:
A voice of gratulation
O'er Alp and plain and sea,
Nation to new-born nation,
The free soul to the free.
O'er Alp and plain and sea,
Nation to new-born nation,
The free soul to the free.
| Gathered poems of Ernest Myers | |