Classic Poem

Sweetly the summer-sun is shining
Out from the dome of the sapphire sky;
Green are the pastures, the wheat-fields golden;
Calmly the river goes rolling by.

Peace at the center and on the border —
Hum of industry everywhere —
Teams afield — the clatter of reapers —
Songs of harvesters on the air.

Blithe are the sounds of the summer-morning;
But stay — the songs cease suddenly:
The lift of a hand — the crack of a pistol —
And cheeks turn pallid from sea to sea.

A dim, hushed room — a sick man lying
Fainting with weakness, racked with pain;
Rosy bulletins, morning and evening,
Raising our hopes to be dashed again;

Week after week of weary waiting;
Trembling millions on bended knee;
Later, a still form, pallid, pulseless,
There in the cottage by the sea.

Thus it is ended — the long, slow torture;
Ended our hopes, our doubts, our fears,
Towns and cities are draped in sable —
A mighty nation sits drowned in tears.

*****

Crowded court-room, Judge and jury;
Ghastly farce, where the high and low,
Master and servant, maid and mistress,
Come together to see the show.

Blood-stained wretch, as leading actor,
Blusters and rants in his brutal way;
Browbeats witnesses and lawyers,
Just as he wills it to run the play,

Beautiful ladies, plumed and jeweled
(They wept for his victim), calmly sit,
Soft cheeks dimpling with covert laughter;
Judges smile at his insolent wit.

How long, how long, shall these scenes continue,
While the whole world looks on in scorn?
How many pages must stain our annals,
For children to blush at, yet unborn.

Sadly we watched o'er a good man dying,
And shed our tears o'er the murdered dead:
With cheeks scarce dry, shall we speak no protest
While the murderer stars it where he bled?

For very shame, cut short, O Justice!
Drop the curtain! put out the light!
Through all the land we are weary — weary:
Hide this monster away from sight!

F A rewell to the Parliament, with hey, with hey,
Farewell to the Parliament, with hoe,
Your dear delight the City,
Our wants have made us witty,
And a — — for the Close Committee,
With a hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell the Lord of Essex , with hey, with hey,
Farewell the Lord of Essex , with hoe,
He sleeps till eleven,
And leaves the Cause at six and seven,
But 'tis no matter, their hope's in Heaven,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell the Lord Wharton , with hey, with hey,
Farewell the Lord Wharton , with hoe,
The Saw-pit did hide him,
Whilst Hastings did out-ride him,
Then came Brooks and he out-ly'd him,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell Billy Stroud , with hey, with hey,
Farewell Billy Stroud , with hoe,
He swore all Whartons lyes were true,
And it concern'd him so to do,
For he was in the saw-pit too,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell the Lord Brooks , with hey, with hey,
Farewell the Lord Brooks , with hoe,
He said (but first he had got a Rattle)
That but one hundred fell in the Battle,
Besides Dogs, Whores, and such Parliament Cattle,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell Say and Seale , with hey, with hey,
Farewell Say and Seale , with hoe,
May these Valiant Sons of Ammon ,
All be Hang'd as high as Haman ,
With the old Anabaptist they came on,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell K — — with hey, with hey,
Farewell K — — with hoe,
Thy Father writ a Godly Book,
Yet all was fish that came to the hook,
Sure he is damn'd though but for his look.
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell K — — with hey, with hey,
Farewell K — — with hoe,
Thy House had been confounded,
In vain he had compounded,
If he had not got a Round-head,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell D — — H — — with hey, with hey,
Farewell D — — H — — with hoe
Twas his Ambition, or his need,
Not his Religion did the deed,
But his Widow hath tam'd him of the speed.
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell John Hampden , with hey, with hey,
Farewell John Hampden with hoe,
Hee's a sly and subtile Fox,
Well read in Buchanan and Knox ,
And hees gone down to goad the Oxe,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell John Pym , with hey, with hey,
Farewell John Pym with hoe,
He would have had a place in Court,
And he ventur'd all his partie for't,
But bribing proves his best support.
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell John Pym with hey, with hey,
Farewell John Pym with hoe,
For all the feign'd disaster
Of the Taylor and the Plaster,
Thou shalt not be our Master,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell Major Skippon , with hey, with hey,
Farewell Major Skippon with hoe,
Ye have ordered him to kill and slay,
To rescue him and run away,
Provide you vote fair weather, and pay,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell our Worthies all, with hey, with hey,
Farewell our Worthies all with hoe,
For they instead of dying,
Maintain the truth by lying,
And get victories by flying,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell our Scotch Brethren, with hey, with hey,
Farewell our Scotch Brethren, with hoe,
They March but to the border,
But will be brought no farther,
For neither Ordinance nor Order,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell my little Levites, with hey, with hey,
Farewell my little Levites, with hoe,
Though you seem to fear him,
Yet you can scarce forbear him,
And when you thank him, you but jeer him,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell fears and jealousies, with hey, with hey,
Farewell fears and jealousies, with hoe,
Which, with lying Declarations,
Tumults, traytors, and protestations,
Have been the ruine of two Nations,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell little Isaack , with hey, with hey,
Farewell little Isaack , with hoe,
Thou hast made us all, like Asses,
Part with our Plate, and drink in Glasses,
Whilst thou growst rich with 25. Passes,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell to Plate and Money, with hey, with hey,
Farewell Plate and Money, with hoe,
'Tis going down by water,
Or something near the matter,
And a Publique Faith's going after,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.

Farewell Members five, with hey, with hey,
Farewell Members five, with hoe,
Next Petition we deliver,
Sends you packing down the River,
And the Devil be your driver,
With hey trolly, lolly, loe.