| |
| ARISE, my slumbering soul! arise, | |
| And learn what yet remains for thee | |
| To dree or do! | |
| The signs are flaming in the skies; | |
| A struggling world would yet be free, | 5 |
| And live anew. | |
| The earthquake hath not yet been born | |
| That soon shall rock the lands around, | |
| Beneath their base; | |
| Immortal Freedom’s thunder horn | 10 |
| As yet yields but a doleful sound | |
| To Europe’s race. | |
| |
| Look round, my soul! and see, and say | |
| If those about thee understand | |
| Their mission here: | 15 |
| The will to smite, the power to slay, | |
| Abound in every heart and hand | |
| Afar, anear; | |
| But, God! must yet the conqueror’s sword | |
| Pierce mind, as heart, in this proud year? | 20 |
| O, dream it not! | |
| It sounds a false, blaspheming word, | |
| Begot and born of moral fear, | |
| And ill-begot. | |
| |
| To leave the world a name is nought: | 25 |
| To leave a name for glorious deeds | |
| And works of love, | |
| A name to waken lightning thought | |
| And fire the soul of him who reads, | |
| This tells above. | 30 |
| Napoleon sinks to-day before | |
| The ungilded shrine, the single soul | |
| Of Washington: | |
| Truth’s name alone shall man adore | |
| Long as the waves of Time shall roll | 35 |
| Henceforward on. | |
| |
| My countrymen! my words are weak: | |
| My health is gone, my soul is dark, | |
| My heart is chill; | |
| Yet would I fain and fondly seek | 40 |
| To see you borne in freedom’s bark | |
| O’er ocean still. | |
| Beseech your God! and bide your hour! | |
| He cannot, will not long be dumb: | |
| Even now his tread | 45 |
| Is heard o’er earth with coming power; | |
| And coming, trust me, it will come,— | |
| Else were He dead. | |
| |
