ERE ancient Thebes began on high to raise Her crest of towers; ere rose the wondrous maze Of column'd temples, palaces, and halls, Of pillar'd porticoes, and pondrous walls, Far o'er the waste, old Amphion's magic lyre Rung forth wild music to his touch of fire— Then heaved the rocks and danced the stones along, Moved by the mighty spell of glorious song. High swelled the strain, swift rolled the stony flood, Till Thebes, upreared, in gorgeous beauty stood. No fabled lyrist—Gough, in thee we find Thy tuneful eloquence, thy wealth of mind, Thy words of power, and melody of tone, Can move the will and draw the heart of stone, Can startle, thrill, inspire, and arm the soul With power to abjure for aye the madd'ning bowl. So from the fearful pit and miry clay, Where cold, insensate inebriates lay, They shake, they move, they come, and tower and wall, Palace and temple, dome and pillared hall, In order rise beneath thy skilful hand, Wise master-builder, moral structures grand, On temperance based, amidst the desert smile, The beauty, strength, and safety of our isle. Again return. Ah! many a change has passed Since from our island shores thou parted last— Ten thousand welcomes wait on thy return. Then come, "with thoughts that breathe and words that burn"— Entreat, appeal, and warn—thrill brain and heart; While bosoms heave and tears spontaneous start. The sense, the feeling, and the ear enchain, And earth, yea, heaven, shall prove thy words not vain. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BALLAD OF THE LORDS OF OLD TIME by FRANCOIS VILLON NOT OURS THE VOWS by BERNARD BARTON FRENCH REVOLUTION; AS IT APPEARED TO ENTHUSIASTS AT ITS COMMENCEMENT by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH THE BLUE BIRD by LAWRENCE ALMA-TADEMA DIDO TO AENEAS by JOACHIM DU BELLAY |