As by the streams of Babylon Far from our native soil we sat, Sweet Sion, thee we thought upon, And every thought a tear begat. Aloft the trees, that spring up there Our silent harps we pensive hung: Said they that captived us, 'Let's hear Some song, which you in Sion sung!' Is then the song of our God fit To be profaned in foreign land? O Salem, thee when I forget, Forget his skill may my right hand! Fast to the roof cleave may my tongue, If mindless I of thee be found! Or if, when all my joys are sung, Jerusalem be not the ground! Remember, Lord, how Edom's race Cried in Jerusalem's sad day, 'Hurl down her walls, her towers deface, And, stone by stone, all level lay!' Curst Babel's seed! for Salem's sake Just ruin yet for thee remains! Blest shall they be thy babes that take And 'gainst the stones dash out their brains! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONG OF MARION'S MEN by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT INDIAN WOMAN'S DEATH-SONG by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS THE SECRETARY; WRITTEN AT THE HAGUE, 1696 by MATTHEW PRIOR FOR THE HOLY FAMILY, BY MICHELANGELO (IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY) by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI THE TRANSLATION by MARK VAN DOREN MISPLACED SYMPATHY by CHARLES FOLLEN ADAMS THE BLIND ASTRONOMER by THOMAS ASA EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 14. THE POWERFUL ATTRACTION by PHILIP AYRES |