All homeless, and hopeless, and friendless, I met in the wood-path a lordling, O, the blood on my hands and my garments! His gold could not tempt me to linger I turned in my horror, and fled! I fled, but a terrible phantom Pursued like a demon of wrath; In the forest, the field, or the churchyard, I was seized by the human avenger, O, the prison! the sentence! the gallows! The rush, and the roar, and confusion, The depth and the darkness of death! But the justice of time may determine Then long did I struggle with phantoms, I thought, in my blindness and darkness, Who had come in the might of his vengeance To smite with his merciless rod. So I cursed Him-and cursed Him-and cursed Him! That He, in his greatness and power, Had summoned my soul into being, And made me to suffer one hour. I cursed Him for all of my sorrow, For all of my hatred and evil, For darkness without and within. My words were all molten and glowing, And the breath of my wrath made them hotter, Till they burned with the fierceness of flame. Then a light that was in me grew brighter, Like sunshine poured into the heart; I felt all my burdens grow lighter, And the dross from my nature depart. "My brother," replied the bright Angel, "Let the name of the Highest be blessed! Lo! he renders thee blessing for cursing! His will and His way are the best. Thy soul in His sight hath been precious, Since the birth of thy being began; Thou art judged by the need of thy nature, And not by the standard of man." Then out of my cursing and madness, My soul, like a jewel of beauty, Annealed through life's processes came. The forms of my loved ones were near me, The night of my sorrow had passed; God grant you, O mortals, who judged me, As full an acceptance at last! THE EAGLE OF FREEDOM. O, LAND of our glory, our boast, and our pride! Where the brave and the fearless for Freedom have died, How clear is the lustre that beams from thy name! How bright on thy brow are the laurels of fame! His eyrie is built where no foe can invade, Nor traitors prevail with the brand and the blade! CHORUS. The Eagle of Freedom, in danger and night, Keeps watch o'er our flag from his star-circled height. From mountain and valley, from hill-top and sea, |