A Curse For A Nation

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    <strong>A Curse For A Nation</strong>

    I heard an angel speak last night,

    And he said Write!

    Write a Nations curse for me,

    And send it over the Western Sea.

    I faltered, taking up the word:

    Not so, my lord!

    If curses must be, choose another

    To send thy curse against my brother.

    For I am bound by gratitude,

    By love and blood,

    To brothers of mine across the sea,

    Who stretch out kindly hands to me.

    Therefore, the voice said, shalt thou write

    My curse to-night.

    From the summits of love a curse is driven,

    As lightning is from the tops of heaven.

    Not so, I answered. Evermore

    My heart is sore

    For my own lands sins: for little feet

    Of childre<cite></cite>n bleeding along the street:

    For parked-up honors that gainsay

    The right of way:

    For almsgiving through a door that is

    Not open enough for two friends to kiss:

    For love of freedom which abates

    Beyond the Straits:

    For patriot virtue starved to vi

    Self-praise, self-i, and suspi:

    For an oligarchic parliament,

    And bribes well-meant.

    What curse to another land assign,

    When heavy-souled for the sins of mine?

    Therefore, the voice said, shalt thou write

    My curse to-night.

    Because thou hast strength to see and hate

    A foul thing dohin thy gate.

    Not so, I answered once again.

    To curse, en.

    For I, a woman, have only known

    How the heart melts and the tears run down.

    Therefore, the voice said, shalt thou write

    My curse to-night.

    Some women weep and curse, I say

    (And no one marvels), night and day.

    And thou shalt take their part to-night,

    Weep and write.

    A curse from the depths of womanhood

    Is very salt, and bitter, and good.

    So thus I wrote, and mourned indeed,

    What all may read.

    And thus, as was enjoined on me,

    I<dfn>.9９ｌiｂ?</dfn> send it over the Western Sea.

    The Curse

    Because ye have broken your own

    With the strain

    Of brave men climbing a Natio,

    Yet thence bear down with brand and thong

    On souls of others, -- for this wrong

    This is the curse. Write.

    Because yourselves are standing straight

    Iate

    Of Freedoms foremost acolyte,

    Yet keep calm footing all the time

    On writhing bond-slaves, -- for this crime

    This is the curse. Write.

    Because ye prosper in Gods name,

    With a claim

    To honor in the <u></u>old worlds sight,

    Yet do the fiends work perfectly

    In strangling martyrs, -- for this lie

    This is the curse. Write.

    Ye shall watch while kings spire

    Round the peoples smouldering fire,

    And, warm for your part,

    Shall never dare -- O shame!

    To utter the thought into flame

    Which burns at your heart.

    This is the curse. Write.

    Ye shall watch while nations strive

    With the bloodhounds, die or survive,

    Drop faint from their jaws,

    Or throttle them backward to death;

    And only under your breath

    Shall favor the cause.

    This is the curse. Write.

    Ye shall watch while strong men draw

    The s of feudal law

    Tle the weak;

    And, ting the sin for a sin,

    Your soul shall be sadder within

    Than the word ye shall speak.

    This is the curse. Write.

    When good men are prayi

    That Christ may avenge His elect

    And deliver the earth,

    The prayer in your ears, said low,

    Shall sound like the tramp of a foe

    Thats driving you forth.

    This is the curse. Write.

    When wise men give you their praise,

    They shall praise in the heat of the phrase,

    As if carried too far.

    When ye boast your own charters kept true,

    Ye shall blush; for the thing which ye do

    Derides what ye are.

    This is the curse. Write.

    When fools cast taunts at yate,

    Your s ye shall somewhat abate

    As ye look oer the wall;

    For your sce, tradition, and name

    Explode with a deadlier blame

    Than the worst of them all.

    Th<abbr></abbr>is is the curse. Write.

    Go, wherever ill deeds shall be done,

    Go, plant your flag in the sun

    Beside the ill-doers!

    And recoil from g the curse

    Of Gods witnessing Universe

    With a curse of yours.

    This is the curse. Writ<u></u>e.

    <strong>Elizabeth Barrett Browning</strong>

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