There was a time men gave no peace
To cheers for Athens, Bozzaris, Leonidas, and Greece!
And Canaris’ more-worshipped name was found
On ev’ry lip, in ev’ry heart around.
But now is changed the scene! On hist’ry’s
page
Are writ o’er thine deeds of another age,
And thine are not remembered.—Greece, farewell!
The world no more thine heroes’ deeds will tell.
Not that this matters to a man like thee!
To whom is left the dark blue open sea,
Thy gallant bark, that o’er the water flies,
And the bright planet guiding in clear skies;
All these remain, with accident and strife,
Hope, and the pleasures of a roving life,
Boon Nature’s fairest prospects—land
and main—
The noisy starting, glad return again;
The pride of freeman on a bounding deck
Which mocks at dangers and despises wreck,
And e’en if lightning-pinions cleave the sea,
’Tis all replete with joyousness to thee!
Yes, these remain! blue sky and ocean blue,
Thine eagles with one sweep beyond the view—
The sun in golden beauty ever pure,
The distance where rich warmth doth aye endure—
Thy language so mellifluously bland,
Mixed with sweet idioms from Italia’s strand,
As Baya’s streams to Samos’ waters glide
And with them mingle in one placid tide.
Yes, these remain, and, Canaris! thy arms—
The sculptured sabre, faithful in alarms—
The broidered garb, the yataghan, the vest
Expressive of thy rank, to thee still rest!
And when thy vessel o’er the foaming sound
Is proud past storied coasts to blithely bound,
At once the point of beauty may restore
Smiles to thy lip, and smoothe thy brow once more.
G.W.M. REYNOLDS.
("Seule au pied de la tour.")
[IX., September, 1833.]
Alone, beneath the tower whence thunder forth
The mandates of the Tyrant of the North,
Poland’s sad genius kneels, absorbed in tears,
Bound, vanquished, pallid with her fears—
Alas! the crucifix is all that’s left
To her, of freedom and her sons bereft;
And on her royal robe foul marks are seen
Where Russian hectors’ scornful feet have been.
Anon she hears the clank of murd’rous arms,—
The swordsmen come once more to spread alarms!
And while she weeps against the prison walls,
And waves her bleeding arm until it falls,
To France she hopeless turns her glazing eyes,
And sues her sister’s succor ere she dies.
G.W.M. REYNOLDS.
("Oh! n’insultez jamais une femme qui tombe.")
[XIV., Sept. 6, 1835.]
