Spring! thy impatient bloom restrain, Nor wake so soon thy genial pow'r, For, deeds of death must hail thy reign, And clouds of fate around thee low'r. Alas! not all thy store of charms For patriot hearts can comfort find, Or lull to peace the dread alarms Which rack the friends of human kind. In vain thy balmy breath to me Scents with its sweets the ev'ning gale; In vain the violet's charms I see, Or fondly mark thy primrose pale. To me thy softest zephyrs breathe, Of sorrow's soul-distracting tone, To me thy most attractive wreath Seems ting'd with human blood alone. Arrest thy steps, thou source of love, Thou genial friend of joy and life! Let not thy smile propitious prove To works of carnage, scenes of strife. Bid Winter all his frowns recall, And back his icy footsteps trace; Again the soil in frost enthrall, And check the War-fiend's murd'rous chace. Ah, fruitless pray'r! thy hand divine MUST on the teeming season lead, And (contrast dire!) at War's red shrine Must bid unnumber'd victims bleed. But not in vain—if on this hour The fate of Freedom shall depend— If o'er this earth th' Eternal Pow'r The scale of Justice now extend. For then, O Spring, thy sun shall see The patriot flame triumphant shine; GALLIA shall bid the world be free, And WAR his blood-stain'd throne resign! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THIRTY BOB A WEEK by JOHN DAVIDSON LITANY by ROBERT GRANT (1785-1838) WHAT THE BULLET SANG by FRANCIS BRET HARTE IN REMEMBRANCE by ADRA CAROLINE BATCHELDER THE YOUNG FOWLER THAT MISTOOK HIS GAME; AN IDYLLIUM by BION MADRIGAL by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON WOOD WITCHERY by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON TO A CYPRESS; ATHENS, 1913 by RHYS CARPENTER THE PARLIAMENT OF FOWLS [PARLEMENT OF FOULES] by GEOFFREY CHAUCER |