Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PILGRIM FATHERS, by EBENEZER ELLIOTT


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PILGRIM FATHERS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A voice of grief and anger
Last Line: Bring forth such men again!
Alternate Author Name(s): Corn-law Rhymer; Elliot, Ebenezer
Subject(s): Pilgrim Fathers


A VOICE of grief and anger --
Of pity mix'd with scorn --
Moans o'er the waters of the west,
Through fire and darkness borne;
And fiercer voices join it --
A wild triumphant yell!
For England's foes, on ocean slain,
Have heard it where they fell.

What is that voice which cometh
Athwart the spectred sea?
The voice of men who left their homes
To make their children free;
Of men whose hearts were torches
For freedom's quenchless fire;
Of men, whose mothers brave brought forth
The sire of Franklin's sire.

They speak! -- the Pilgrim Fathers
Speak to ye from their graves!
For earth hath mutter'd to their bones
That we are soulless slaves!
The Bradfords, Carvers, Winslows,
Have heard the worm complain,
That less than men oppress the men
Whose sires were Pym and Vane!

What saith the voice which boometh
Athwart the upbraiding waves?
"Though slaves are ye, our sons are free,
Then why will you be slaves?
The children of your fathers
Were Hampden, Pym, and Vane!"
Land of the sires of Washington,
Bring forth such men again!





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