The firmament breaks up. In black eclipseLight after light goes out. One evil star,Luridly glaring through the smoke of war,As in the dream of the Apocalypse,Drags others down. Let us not weakly weepNor rashly threaten. Give us grace to keepOur faith and patience; wherefore should we leapOn one hand into fratricidal fight,Or, on the other, yield eternal right,Frame lies of laws, and good and ill confound?What fear we? Safe on freedom's vantage groundOur feet are planted; let us there remainIn unrevengeful calm, no means untriedWhich truth can sanction, no just claim denied,The sad spectators of a suicide!They break the lines of Union: shall we lightThe fires of hell to weld anew the chainOn that red anvil where each blow is pain?Draw we not even now a freer breath,As from our shoulders falls a load of deathLoathsome as that the Tuscan's victim boreWhen keen with life to a dead horror bound?Why take we up the accursed thing again?Pity, forgive, but urge them back no moreWho, drunk with passion, flaunt disunion's ragWith its vile reptile blazon. Let us pressThe golden cluster on our brave old flagIn closer union, and, if numbering less,Brighter shall shine the stars which still remain.
