The year of shame by William Watson With an introduction by the Bishop of Hereford |
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| XIII. | XIII THE PLAGUE OF APATHY |
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 | The year of shame by William Watson |  |
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XIII
THE PLAGUE OF APATHY
The dewfall of compassion, is it o'er
So soon? So soon is dead indifference come?
From wintry sea to sea the land lies numb.
With palsy of the spirit stricken sore,
The land lies numb from iron shore to shore.
The unconcerned, they flourish: loud are some,
And without shame. The multitude stand dumb.
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Only the witling's sneer, the worldling's smile,
The weakling's tremors, fail him not who fain
Would rouse to noble deed. And all the while,
A homeless people, in their mortal pain,
Toward one far and famous ocean isle
Stretch hands of prayer, and stretch those hands in vain.
| The year of shame by William Watson | |