Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

Soul and Country (Author: James Clarence Mangan)

p.91

1. 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,
   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,
   As yet, yields but a doleful sound
   To Europe's race.
2. Look round, my soul, and see and say
   If those about thee understand
   Their mission here;
   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?
   O, dream it not!
   It sounds a false, blaspheming word,
   Begot and born of moral fear—
   And ill-begot!

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p.92

3. To leave the world a name is nought;
   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.
   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
   Henceforward on!
4. 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
   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
   Is heard o'er earth with coming power;
   And coming, trust me, it will come,
   Else were He dead!