Page:Poems Jones.djvu/130

A BALLAD OF THE SOUTH AND NORTH.

H, once the Southron's talk was bold:
 He vaunted oft his fair estate,
His faithful slaves, his mansion old,
 His heart that burned for love or hate.
"But spare our rights," the North replied,
 "With equal worth ye have to deal."
"Up! fire the Southern heart!" he cried,
 "We'll teach these Yankees how to kneel!
   The Southern heart begins to beat:
    We'll drop the whip, we'll grasp the steel:
   We'll take no rest till 'neath our feet
    These coward Yankees kneel!"

Then brought he forth his stolen guns,
 With boastful speech and daring oath:
He laughed to scorn our brawny sons—
 "So prone to toil, to fight so loath!"
Our Northmen laid their tools aside,
 And listened—listened all alert:
"Come on, oh if ye dare!" he cried,
 "But know our blades are sure to hurt!