 | To Elizabeth Barrett Browning and other verses |  |
18
KOSSUTH AT BIRMINGHAM
Rave over other lands and other seas,
Ill omen'd black-winged Breeze!
But spare the friendly sails that waft away
Him, who was deem'd the prey
Of despot dark as thou, one sending forth
The tortures of the North
To fix upon his Caucasus once more
The demi-god who bore
To sad humanity Heaven's fire and light,
Whereby shall reunite
In happier bonds, the nations of the earth;
Whose Jove-like brow gave birth
To that high wisdom, whence all blessings flow
On mortals here below.
Ill omen'd black-winged Breeze!
But spare the friendly sails that waft away
Him, who was deem'd the prey
Of despot dark as thou, one sending forth
The tortures of the North
To fix upon his Caucasus once more
The demi-god who bore
To sad humanity Heaven's fire and light,
Whereby shall reunite
In happier bonds, the nations of the earth;
Whose Jove-like brow gave birth
To that high wisdom, whence all blessings flow
On mortals here below.
Rack not, O Boreal Breeze, that labouring breast
On which, half dead, yet rest
The hopes of millions, and rest there alone.
Impiously every throne
Crushes the credulous: none else than he
Can raise and set them free.
O bear him on in safety and in health!
Bear on a freight of wealth
Such as no vessel yet hath ever borne;
Altho' with banner torn
He urges thro' tempestuous waves his way;
Yet shall a brighter day
Shine on him in his own reconquered field;
Relenting Fate shall yield
To constant Virtue. Hungary! no more
Thy saddest loss deplore;
Look to the star-crown'd Genius of the West,
Sole guardian of the opprest.
O! that one only nation dared to save
Kossuth, the true and brave!
On which, half dead, yet rest
The hopes of millions, and rest there alone.
Impiously every throne
Crushes the credulous: none else than he
Can raise and set them free.
19
Bear on a freight of wealth
Such as no vessel yet hath ever borne;
Altho' with banner torn
He urges thro' tempestuous waves his way;
Yet shall a brighter day
Shine on him in his own reconquered field;
Relenting Fate shall yield
To constant Virtue. Hungary! no more
Thy saddest loss deplore;
Look to the star-crown'd Genius of the West,
Sole guardian of the opprest.
O! that one only nation dared to save
Kossuth, the true and brave!
| To Elizabeth Barrett Browning and other verses | |