France: An Ode

I
  1. 1Ye Clouds! that far above me float and pause,
  2. 2Whose pathless march no mortal may controul!
  3. 3Ye Ocean-Waves! that, wheresoe'er ye roll,
  4. 4Yield homage only to eternal laws!
  5. 5Ye Woods! that listen to the night-birds singing,
  6. 6Midway the smooth and perilous slope reclined,
  7. 7Save when your own imperious branches swinging,
  8. 8Have made a solemn music of the wind!
  9. 9Where, like a man beloved of God,
  10. 10Through glooms, which never woodman trod,
  11. 11How oft, pursuing fancies holy,
  12. 12My moonlight way o'er flowering weeds I wound,
  13. 13Inspired, beyond the guess of folly,
  14. 14By each rude shape and wild unconquerable sound!
  15. 15O ye loud Waves! and O ye Forests high!
  16. 16And O ye Clouds that far above me soared!
  17. 17Thou rising Sun! thou blue rejoicing Sky!
  18. 18Yea, every thing that is and will be free!
  19. 19Bear witness for me, wheresoe'er ye be,
  20. 20With what deep worship I have still adored
  21. 21The spirit of divinest Liberty.
II
  1. 22When France in wrath her giant-limbs upreared,
  2. 23And with that oath, which smote air, earth, and sea,
  3. 24Stamped her strong foot and said she would be free,
  4. 25Bear witness for me, how I hoped and feared!
  5. 26With what a joy my lofty gratulation
  6. 27Unawed I sang, amid a slavish band:
  7. 28And when to whelm the disenchanted nation,
  8. 29Like fiends embattled by a wizard's wand,
  9. 30The Monarchs marched in evil day,
  10. 31And Britain joined the dire array;
  11. 32Though dear her shores and circling ocean,
  12. 33Though many friendships, many youthful loves
  13. 34Had swoln the patriot emotion
  14. 35And flung a magic light o'er all her hills and groves;
  15. 36Yet still my voice, unaltered, sang defeat
  16. 37To all that braved the tyrant-quelling lance,
  17. 38And shame too long delayed and vain retreat!
  18. 39For ne'er, O Liberty! with partial aim
  19. 40I dimmed thy light or damped thy holy flame;
  20. 41But blessed the paeans of delivered France,
  21. 42And hung my head and wept at Britain's name.
III
  1. 43'And what,' I said, 'though Blasphemy's loud scream
  2. 44With that sweet music of deliverance strove!
  3. 45Though all the fierce and drunken passions wove
  4. 46A dance more wild than e'er was maniac's dream!
  5. 47Ye storms, that round the dawning East assembled,
  6. 48The Sun was rising, though ye hid his light!'
  7. 49And when, to soothe my soul, that hoped and trembled,
  8. 50The dissonance ceased, and all seemed calm and bright;
  9. 51When France her front deep-scarr'd and gory
  10. 52Concealed with clustering wreaths of glory;
  11. 53When, insupportably advancing,
  12. 54Her arm made mockery of the warrior's ramp;
  13. 55While timid looks of fury glancing,
  14. 56Domestic treason, crushed beneath her fatal stamp,
  15. 57Writhed like a wounded dragon in his gore;
  16. 58Then I reproached my fears that would not flee;
  17. 59'And soon,' I said, 'shall Wisdom teach her lore
  18. 60In the low huts of them that toil and groan!
  19. 61And, conquering by her happiness alone,
  20. 62Shall France compel the nations to be free,
  21. 63Till Love and Joy look round, and call the Earth their own.'
IV
  1. 64Forgive me, Freedom! O forgive those dreams!
  2. 65I hear thy voice, I hear thy loud lament,
  3. 66From bleak Helvetia's icy caverns sent--
  4. 67I hear thy groans upon her blood-stained streams!
  5. 68Heroes, that for your peaceful country perished,
  6. 69And ye that, fleeing, spot your mountain-snows
  7. 70With bleeding wounds; forgive me, that I cherished
  8. 71One thought that ever blessed your cruel foes!
  9. 72To scatter rage, and traitorous guilt,
  10. 73Where Peaceher jealous home had built;
  11. 74A patriot-race to disinherit
  12. 75Of all that made their stormy wilds so dear;
  13. 76And with inexpiable spirit
  14. 77To taint the bloodless freedom of the mountaineer--
  15. 78O France, that mockest Heaven, adulterous, blind,
  16. 79And patriot only in pernicious toils!
  17. 80Are these thy boasts, Champion of human kind?
  18. 81To mix with Kings in the low lust of sway,
  19. 82Yell in the hunt, and share the murderous prey;
  20. 83To insult the shrine of Liberty with spoils
  21. 84From freemen torn; to tempt and to betray?
V
  1. 85The Sensual and the Dark rebel in vain,
  2. 86Slaves by their own compulsion! In mad game
  3. 87They burst their manacles and wear the name
  4. 88Of Freedom, graven on a heavier chain!
  5. 89O Liberty! with profitless endeavour
  6. 90Have I pursued thee, many a weary hour;
  7. 91But thou nor swell'st the victor's strain, nor ever
  8. 92Didst breathe thy soul in forms of human power.
  9. 93Alike from all, howe'er they praise thee,
  10. 94(Nor prayer, nor boastful name delays thee)
  11. 95Alike from Priestcraft's harpy minions,
  12. 96And factious Blasphemy's obscener slaves,
  13. 97Thou speedest on thy subtle pinions,
  14. 98The guide of homeless winds, and playmate of the waves!
  15. 99And there I felt thee!--on that sea-cliff's verge,
  16. 100Whose pines, scarce travelled by the breeze above,
  17. 101Had made one murmur with the distant surge!
  18. 102Yes, while I stood and gazed, my temples bare,
  19. 103And shot my being through earth, sea, and air,
  20. 104Possessing all things with intensest love,
  21. 105O Liberty! my spirit felt thee there.