Poems (Jones)/The Year of Emancipation
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AW ye, when Azrael's sword of might had touched the Old Year's heart,
Heaven's guarded gates at noon of night in silent glory part?
Heard ye the angel's challenge ring from starry heights sublime?
"What ho! thy finished records bring, thou who art done with Time!"
THE YEAR OF EMANCIPATION.JANUARY 1, 1864.
AW ye, when Azrael's sword of might had touched the Old Year's heart,Heaven's guarded gates at noon of night in silent glory part?
Heard ye the angel's challenge ring from starry heights sublime?
"What ho! thy finished records bring, thou who art done with Time!"
Then rose the sovereign from his bier, pale as the glaciers are
That on their mountain-levels hear the voice of God afar:
With brow serene and eye that braved the sky's supernal light,
His cloud-dividing wings he waved, in far, majestic flight.
That on their mountain-levels hear the voice of God afar:
With brow serene and eye that braved the sky's supernal light,
His cloud-dividing wings he waved, in far, majestic flight.
"Hast thou no joyful news, O Year?" cried that celestial voice:
"No word, that rolled from sphere to sphere, shall bid the heavens rejoice?
No lance has bleeding Freedom hurled—her life-long war to close?
Has Power yet leave to walk the world and rend each wayside rose?"
"No word, that rolled from sphere to sphere, shall bid the heavens rejoice?
No lance has bleeding Freedom hurled—her life-long war to close?
Has Power yet leave to walk the world and rend each wayside rose?"
"I stood on proud Columbia's strand—where Night her stars had left—
And near and far I saw the land incarnadined and cleft:
There ghoulish War's insatiate fire his feast of horror signed,
And swept its forked flames ever higher the heavenward gaze to blind.
And near and far I saw the land incarnadined and cleft:
There ghoulish War's insatiate fire his feast of horror signed,
And swept its forked flames ever higher the heavenward gaze to blind.
"The nation's brimmed communion-cup had spilled its holy wine;
The slave his sad eyes lifted up, still gyved at Belial's shrine;
Pale under Treason's upas-shade, Truth, worn and fainting, lay;
And Europe paused, with half-drawn blade, as one who pants to slay.
The slave his sad eyes lifted up, still gyved at Belial's shrine;
Pale under Treason's upas-shade, Truth, worn and fainting, lay;
And Europe paused, with half-drawn blade, as one who pants to slay.
"I saw, and thrilled the Ruler's heart—I nerved the Ruler's hand;
And lo! he rent the gyves apart, on fair Columbia's strand!
'Henceforth, forever be ye free!' (but God had spoken first,)
And from the gulf to either sea, so died the thing accursed!
And lo! he rent the gyves apart, on fair Columbia's strand!
'Henceforth, forever be ye free!' (but God had spoken first,)
And from the gulf to either sea, so died the thing accursed!
"New vigor shot: through Freedom's veins: revived she trod the world;
Full far o'er Southern battle-plains her shining lance she hurled:
Now shrinks the deadly upas-shade—its dews of poison cease;
And Europe sheathes her thirsty blade and smiles a treacherous peace!
Full far o'er Southern battle-plains her shining lance she hurled:
Now shrinks the deadly upas-shade—its dews of poison cease;
And Europe sheathes her thirsty blade and smiles a treacherous peace!
"Now quails Rebellion's vaunted host:—with sudden terror pressed,
From sea and gulf and river-coast they flee and find no rest:
What god shall bid them rally back, Truth's awful front to dare?
For Belial's shrines their victims lack; he sleeps, nor answers prayer."
From sea and gulf and river-coast they flee and find no rest:
What god shall bid them rally back, Truth's awful front to dare?
For Belial's shrines their victims lack; he sleeps, nor answers prayer."
"Aye, wide ye pearl-wrought shafts be riven!" sang that seraphic voice;
"For never news more worthy Heaven made listening spheres rejoice.
Let hallelujahs roll afar!—when God the work has done,
And smiled thereon, how fair a star shall bloom beside the sun!"
"For never news more worthy Heaven made listening spheres rejoice.
Let hallelujahs roll afar!—when God the work has done,
And smiled thereon, how fair a star shall bloom beside the sun!"
Saw ye, when surged along the land the orient flood of day,
The New Year on Atlantic's strand his silvery wings delay?
Some effluent song harp-sweet and clear stole down the depth profound,
"Lo! God hath sent thee, beauteous Year! go, heal Columbia's wound!"
The New Year on Atlantic's strand his silvery wings delay?
Some effluent song harp-sweet and clear stole down the depth profound,
"Lo! God hath sent thee, beauteous Year! go, heal Columbia's wound!"