Page:Poems Hoffman.djvu/245

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That shone in the stars above her
And gleamed from her pagan sod,—
"Soon, soon shall proud Ethiopia
Stretch forth her hands unto God."

Dark grew her brow and darker
Grew the darkness about her throne
No ray pierced the midnight blackness
No star in her midnight shone,
The suns of the burning Tropics
For centuries scorched her bloom
But they strove in vain to lighten
With one pale ray, her gloom.
Lo! in the listening ages
From the chords where it slumbered long
In the light of its glad fulfillment
Awakes the prophetic song,
'Tis sung by the stars above her,
'Tis harped from her teeming sod
Beautiful, dark Ethiopia
Stretches her hands unto God.

Lo! she hath dashed her idols
And her pagan altars down,
Robed in her gorgeous garments
Crowned with her crescent crown
She stands with benighted Canaan,
She turns from her gory sod
She looks to the stars above her
And stretches her hands unto God.

A light on her midnight breaketh
A brightening, growing light
It darts through her gloom and slowly
Illumines her fearful night,

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