Metrical tales, and other poems; - Electric Scotland

130 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
A thousand thousand tongues replied,—
" Give answer, what are we ? "
I turned from fashion, rank, and wealth,
To noisome streets and lanes,
"Where wretched forms, in rags and filth.
And sin-polluting stains.
Were clutched within a demon's gripe,
Dull Ignorance his name,
Who dragged alike the green and ripe
Through scenes of sin and shame.
His shadow, lUfe a murky cloud.
Obscured the minds of all
And evil minions in a crowd
Were ready at his call,
Intemperance, Unthrift, and Sloth,
Gaunt Hunger, Greed, and Lust,—
Who seized their victims, nothing loath.
And ground them to the dust.
Oh, brothers !
I have witnessed sights
" To make the angels weep ;
They've haunted me for days and nights.
And poisoned food and sleep ;
And I have marvelled how the great.
The rich, the wise, the strong,
The pillars of the church and state.
Have suffered them so long
And when I saw a band advance,
With dauntless words and plain,
Declaring war on Ignorance
And all his baleful train.