SEVEN years long was the bow Of battle bent, and the heightening Storm-heaps convulsed with the throe Of their uncontainable lightning; Seven years long heard the sea Crash of navies and wave-borne thunder; Then drifted the cloud-rack a-lee, And new stars were seen, a world's wonder; Each by her sisters made bright, All binding all to their stations, Cluster of manifold light Startling the old constellations: Men looked up and grew pale: Was it a comet or star, Omen of blessing or bale, Hung o'er the ocean afar? Stormy the day of her birth: Was she not born of the strong, She, the last ripeness of earth, Beautiful, prophesied long? Stormy the days of her prime: Hers are the pulses that beat Higher for perils sublime, Making them fawn at her feet. Was she not born of the strong? Was she not born of the wise? Daring and counsel belong Of right to her confident eyes: Human and motherly they, Careless of station or race: Hearken! her children to-day Shout for the joy of her face. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE DIVINE IMAGE, FR. SONGS OF INNOCENCE by WILLIAM BLAKE CORN-LAW HYMN by EBENEZER ELLIOTT ANOTHER FRANCIS OF ASSISI by FREDERICK HENRY HERBERT ADLER PERPLEXITY by LAWRENCE ALMA-TADEMA FROM POOLS OF DEEPER THOUGHT by MAUDE HARDY ARNOLD ON THE BACKWARDNESS OF THE SPRING 1771 by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD |