Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SOUL AND COUNTRY by JAMES CLARENCE MANGAN

Poem Explanation

First Line: ARISE, MY SLUMBERING SOUL! ARISE
Last Line: ELSE WERE HE DEAD.
ARISE, my slumbering soul! arise,
And learn what yet remains for thee
To dree or do!
The signs are flaming in the skies;
A struggling world would yet be free,
And live anew.
The earthquake hath not yet been born
That soon shall rock the lands around,
Beneath their base;
Immortal Freedom's thunder horn
As yet yields but a doleful sound
To Europe's race.

Look round, my soul! and see, and say
If those about thee understand
Their mission here:
The will to smite, the power to slay,
Abound in every heart and hand
Afar, anear;
But, God! must yet the conqueror's sword
Pierce mind, as heart, in this proud year?
O, dream it not!
It sounds a false, blaspheming word,
Begot and born of moral fear,
And ill-begot.

To leave the world a name is nought:
To leave a name for glorious deeds
And works of love,
A name to waken lightning thought
And fire the soul of him who reads,
This tells above.
Napoleon sinks to-day before
The ungilded shrine, the single soul
Of Washington:
Truth's name alone shall man adore
Long as the waves of Time shall roll
Henceforward on.

My countrymen! my words are weak:
My health is gone, my soul is dark,
My heart is chill;
Yet would I fain and fondly seek
To see you borne in freedom's bark
O'er ocean still.
Beseech your God! and bide your hour!
He cannot, will not long be dumb:
Even now his tread
Is heard o'er earth with coming power;
And coming, trust me, it will come, --
Else were He dead.



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