| Walter Murdoch (1874–1970). The Oxford Book of Australasian Verse. 1918. |
| |
| 76. To Giusuè Carducci |
| | | By G. W. L. Marshall-Hall |
| |
| |
| O RICH and splendid soul that overflowest | |
| With light and fire caught from thy native skies!— | |
| Whose latent storm is lurid in thine eyes | |
| When with august and bended brows thou throwest | |
| |
| Thy Jove-like bolt upon the world below. | 5 |
| Woe, woe the wretch—that ever he was born! | |
| Whom once the fierce sirocco of thy scorn | |
| Encircles, deadly, withering,—Ah woe! | |
| |
| But thrice-blest She, whom with one golden word | |
| Thou settest in the firmament of heaven, | 10 |
| A happy, deathless star;—a wonder given | |
| To awe-eyed mortals while thy voice is heard. | |
| |
| And she—ah me!—her name is—ITALY! | |
| Most glorious and most woful of all names! | |
| Whose sweet sound the whole world’s vast heart inflames | 15 |
| So chanted by her last great son—by thee. | |
| |
|
|
|
