I LOOK'D upon his brow, -- no sign Of guilt or fear was there; He stood as proud by that death-shrine As even o'er Despair He had a power; in his eye There was a quenchless energy, A spirit that could dare The deadliest form that death could take, And dare it for the daring's sake. He stood, the fetters on his hand, -- He raised them haughtily; And had that grasp been on the brand, It could not wave on high With freer pride than it waved now. Around he look'd with changeless brow On many a torture nigh: The rack, the chain, the axe, the wheel, And, worst of all, his own red steel. I saw him once before; he rode Upon a coal-black steed, And tens of thousands throng'd the road And bade their warrior speed. His helm, his breast-plate, were of gold, And graved with many a dent that told Of many a soldier's deed; The sun shone on his sparkling mail, And danced his snow-plume on the gale. But now he stood chain'd and alone, The headsman by his side, The plume, the helm, the charger, gone; The sword which had defied The mightiest, lay broken near; And yet no sign or sound of fear Came from that lip of pride; And never king or conqueror's brow Wore higher look than his did now. He bent beneath the headsman's stroke With an uncover'd eye; A wild shout from the numbers broke Who throng'd to see him die. It was a people's loud acclaim, The voice of anger and of shame, A nation's funeral cry, Rome's wail above her only son, Her patriot and her latest one. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SCHOOLS OF LITTLE FISH by MARVIN BELL ANOTHER SONG WITHOUT WORDS by PAUL VERLAINE BACON'S EPITAPH, MADE BY HIS MAN by JOHN COTTON (1640-1699) RAIN ON A GRAVE by THOMAS HARDY DAYBREAK by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE LIGHT OF STARS by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW DEATH THE LEVELLER, FR. THE CONTENTION OF AJAX AND ULYSSES by JAMES SHIRLEY |