COMES a cry from Cuban water -- From the warm, dusk Antilles -- From the lost Atlanta's daughter, Drowned in blood as drowned in seas; Comes a cry of purpled anguish -- See her struggles, hear her cries! Shall she live, or shall she languish? Shall she sink, or shall she rise? She shall rise, by all that's holy! She shall live and she shall last; Rise as we, when crushed and lowly, From the blackness of the past. Bid her strike! Lo, it is written Blood for blood and life for life. Bid her smite, as she is smitten; Stars and stripes were born of strife. Once we flashed her lights of freedom, Lights that dazzled her dark eyes Till she could but yearning heed them, Reach her hands and try to rise. Then they stabbed her, choked her, drowned her Till we scarce could hear a note. Ah! these rusting chains that bound her! Oh! these robbers at her throat! And the kind who forged these fetters? Ask five hundred years for news. Stake and thumbscrew for their betters! Inquisitions! Banished Jews! Chains and slavery! What reminder Of one red man in that land? Why, these very chains that bind her Bound Columbus, foot and hand! Shall she rise as rose Columbus, From his chains, from shame and wrong -- Rise as Morning, matchless, wondrous -- Rise as some rich morning song -- Rise a ringing song and story, Valor, Love personified? Stars and stripes espouse her glory, Love and Liberty allied. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A WARRIOR'S PRAYER by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR PAN IN WALL STREET by EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN ELEGIAC STANZAS by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH ST. MARTIN'S WALL by ANTON ALEXANDER VON AUERSPERG IN AN AEROPLANE by HARRY RANDOLPH BLYTHE HINC LACHRIMAE; OR THE AUTHOR TO AURORA: 14 by WILLIAM BOSWORTH |