PRISONERS, where'er in bitter cells and small To-night you watch or sleep the hours away, Till the beginning of no hopeful day Maps out your angry and steel-latticed wall, Have mercy on me, for whose sake you are thrall To what man knows of fear, and are the prey Of the general mind, which slays you lest it slay, And, lest it rob, robs you—and so with all. By you against her citizens the land Protects herself: what each one singly would, The commonwealth of all hates, and for fear Of her own lusts hath clutched you with rough hand; By you against herself protects her good, On you inflicts what I and all should bear. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE VALLEY BROOK by JOHN HOWARD BRYANT THE LAST MAN by THOMAS CAMPBELL THE CANTERBURY TALES: THE GENERAL PROLOGUE by GEOFFREY CHAUCER CACOETHES SCRIBENDI by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES KATIE LEE AND WILLIE GREY by JOSIE R. HUNT THE VOYAGE TO VINLAND: 3. GUDRIDA'S PROPHECY by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL THE DYING SWAN by THOMAS STURGE MOORE |