An Appeal to the American Republic

Clasp hands, O fair republic of the west, And leave the kingdoms to their sudden fate. With new-born love and ardour unrepressed, Let Lethe steep in its unquiet rest The old years whose red hands have made us great. O fair republic, strong and swift, unbind The shackles of thy mind : More than our kin ye are ; henceforth not less than kind. Bind on the splendid sandals, and unloose The burning horses, and fling wide the reins ! From cold Archangel unto Syracuse Europe shall see and tremble and ask truce, And new blood pour through Asia’s wasted veins. Our Empire from Guiana to Hong Kong, In your new love made strong, Shall last while earth is glad because of sun and song. And O ! ye desert places of the sea, Ye plains and mountains rugged with the wind, And all ye hollow caverns whence there flee Foam-heads and blusterous waves, give ear to me, And O thou thunder, follow hard behind ! O womb of night, reverberate these chords, Ye clouds, ye stormy lords, With clamour and shrill voice as of ten thousand swords. 7