The Surrender of Spain

I.

Land of unconquered Pelayo! land of the Cid Campeador! 
Sea-girdled mother of men!  Spain, name of glory and power;
Cradle of world-grasping Emperors, grave of the reckless invader,
How art thou fallen, my Spain! how art thou sunk at this hour!

II.

Once thy magnanimous sons trod, victors, the portals of Asia,
Once the Pacific waves rushed, joyful thy banners to see;
For it was Trajan that carried the battle-flushed eagles to Dacia,
Cortes that planted thy flag fast by the uttermost sea.

III.

Has thou forgotten those days illumined with glory and honor,
When the far isles of the sea thrilled to the tread of Castile? 
When every land under Heaven was flecked by the shade of thy banner,—­
When every beam of the sun flashed on thy conquering steel?

IV.

Then through red fields of slaughter, through death and defeat and disaster,
Still flared thy banner aloft, tattered, but free from a stain,
Now to the upstart Savoyard thou bendest to beg for a master! 
How the red flush of her shame mars the proud beauty of Spain!

V.

Has the red blood run cold that boiled by the Xenil and Darro? 
Are the high deeds of the sires sung to the children no more? 
On the dun hills of the North hast thou heard of no plough-boy Pizarro? 
Roams no young swine-herd Cortes hid by the Tagus’ wild shore?

VI.

Once again does Hispania bend low to the yoke of the stranger! 
Once again will she rise, flinging her gyves in the sea! 
Princeling of Piedmont! unwitting thou weddest with doubt and with danger,
King over men who have learned all that it costs to be free.

The Prayer of The Romans

Not done, but near its ending,
  Is the work that our eyes desired;
Not yet fulfilled, but near the goal,
 Is the hope that our worn hearts fired. 
And on the Alban Mountains,
 Where the blushes of dawn increase,
We see the flash of the beautiful feet
 Of Freedom and of Peace!

How long were our fond dreams baffled!—­
 Novara’s sad mischance,
The Kaiser’s sword and fetter-lock,
 And the traitor stab of France;
Till at last came glorious Venice,
 In storm and tempest home;
And now God maddens the greedy kings,
 And gives to her people Rome.

Lame Lion of Caprera! 
 Red-shirts of the lost campaigns! 
Not idly shed was the costly blood
 You poured from generous veins. 
For the shame of Aspromonte,
 And the stain of Mentana’s sod,
But forged the curse of kings that sprang
 From your breaking hearts to God!