The Poetical Works of Ebenezer Elliott Edited by his Son Edwin Elliott ... A New and Revised Edition: Two Volumes |
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 | The Poetical Works of Ebenezer Elliott |  |
394
REFORM.
Too long endured, a power and will,
That would be nought, or first in ill,
Had wasted wealth, and palsied skill,
And fed on toil-worn poverty.
That would be nought, or first in ill,
Had wasted wealth, and palsied skill,
And fed on toil-worn poverty.
They call'd the poor a rope of sand;
And, lo! no rich man's voice or hand
Was raised, throughout the suffering land
Against their long iniquity.
And, lo! no rich man's voice or hand
Was raised, throughout the suffering land
Against their long iniquity.
They taught the self-robb'd sons of pride
To turn from toil and want aside,
And coin their hearts, guilt-petrified,
To buy a smile from infamy.
To turn from toil and want aside,
And coin their hearts, guilt-petrified,
To buy a smile from infamy.
The philter'd lion yawn'd in vain,
While o'er his eyes, and o'er his mane,
They hung a picklock, mask, and chain—
True emblems of his dignity.
While o'er his eyes, and o'er his mane,
They hung a picklock, mask, and chain—
True emblems of his dignity.
They murder'd Hope, they fetter'd Trade;
The clouds to blood, the sun to shade,
And every good that God had made
They turned to bane and mockery.
The clouds to blood, the sun to shade,
And every good that God had made
They turned to bane and mockery.
395
Love, plant of Heaven, and sent to show
One bliss divine to earth below,
Changed by their frown, bore crime and woe,
And breathed, for fragrance, pestilence.
One bliss divine to earth below,
Changed by their frown, bore crime and woe,
And breathed, for fragrance, pestilence.
With Freedom's plume, and Honour's gem,
They deck'd Abaddon's diadem,
And call'd on hell to shout for them,
The holiest name of holiness.
They deck'd Abaddon's diadem,
And call'd on hell to shout for them,
The holiest name of holiness.
They knew no interest but their own;
They shook the State, they shook the Throne,
They shook the world; and God alone
Seem'd safe in his omnipotence.
They shook the State, they shook the Throne,
They shook the world; and God alone
Seem'd safe in his omnipotence.
Did then his thunder rend the skies,
To bid the dead in soul arise?—
The dreadful glare of sullen eyes
Alone warn'd cruel tyranny!
To bid the dead in soul arise?—
The dreadful glare of sullen eyes
Alone warn'd cruel tyranny!
A murmur from a trampled worm,
A whisper in the cloudless storm—
Yet these, even these, announced Reform;
And Famine's scowl was prophecy!
A whisper in the cloudless storm—
Yet these, even these, announced Reform;
And Famine's scowl was prophecy!
Nor then remorse, nor tardy shame,
Nor love of praise, nor dread of blame,
But tongues of fire, and words of flame,
Roused Mammon from his apathy.
Nor love of praise, nor dread of blame,
But tongues of fire, and words of flame,
Roused Mammon from his apathy.
396
At length, a MAN to Mercia spoke!
From smitten hearts the lightning broke;
The slow invincible awoke;
And England's frown was victory!
From smitten hearts the lightning broke;
The slow invincible awoke;
And England's frown was victory!
O years of crime! The great and true—
The nobly wise—are still the few,
Who bid Truth grow where Falsehood grew,
And plant it for eternity!
The nobly wise—are still the few,
Who bid Truth grow where Falsehood grew,
And plant it for eternity!
| The Poetical Works of Ebenezer Elliott | |