Poems Written During the Progress of the Abolition Question In the United States/Lines, on reading 'Right and Wrong in Boston'
LINES
WRITTEN ON READING
'RIGHT AND WRONG IN BOSTON:'
Containing an account of the meeting of the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society, and the mob which followed, on the 21st October, 1835.
Unshrinking from the storm,
Well have ye borne your part,
With woman's fragile form,
But more than manhood's heart!
Faithful to Freedom, when
Its name was held accursed—
Faithful, midst ruffian men,
Unto your holy trust.
Oh—steadfast in the Truth!
Not for yourselves alone,
Matron and gentle youth—
Your lofty zeal was shown:
For the bondman of all climes—
For freedom's last abode—
For the hope of future times—
For the birthright gift of God.
For scorned and broken laws—
For honor and the right—
For staked and periled cause
Of liberty and light.
For holy eyes above
On a world of evil cast—
For the children of our love—
For the mothers of the past!
Worthy of them are ye—
The Pilgrim wives who dared
The waste and unknown sea,
And the hunter's perils shared.
Worthy of her,[1] whose mind
Triumphant over all,
Ruler nor priest could bind,
Nor banishment appal.
Worthy of her[2] who died
Martyr of Freedom, where
Your 'Common's' verdant pride
Opens to sun and air:
Upheld at that dread hour
By strength which could not fail;
Before whose holy power,
Bigot and priest turned pale.
God give ye strength to run,
Unawed by earth or hell,
The race ye have begun
So gloriously and well—
Until the trumpet call
Of Freedom has gone forth,
With joy and life to all
The bondmen of the earth!
Until immortal mind
Unshackled walks abroad,
And chains no longer bind
The image of our God:
Until no captive one
Murmurs on land or wave;
And, in his course, the sun
Looks down upon no slave!
