Poems (Blagden)/Rome from the ripetta
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ROME FROM THE RIPETTA.
"We will trust God—the blank interstices
Men take for ruins, He will build into
With pillared marbles rare, or knit across
With generous arches, till the fane’s complete."
—Casa Guidi Windows.
Men take for ruins, He will build into
With pillared marbles rare, or knit across
With generous arches, till the fane’s complete."
—Casa Guidi Windows.
Wilt thou forget that summer evening's shining,
When thou and I, dear friend, together stood,
And silent watched the purple shades declining,
In languid glory, o'er the Tiber's flood?
When thou and I, dear friend, together stood,
And silent watched the purple shades declining,
In languid glory, o'er the Tiber's flood?
One fond last beam yet lingered on the dome,
And welcome gave to each pale star, which rose;
Breathless we stood beneath the spell of Rome—
Inexorable, fathomless repose!
And welcome gave to each pale star, which rose;
Breathless we stood beneath the spell of Rome—
Inexorable, fathomless repose!
On what great secret dost thou brood, O Rome!
Amid the vexèd earth's unquiet stir?
When will Jehovah's lightnings rend thy gloom,
And fire the pregnant elements to war?
Amid the vexèd earth's unquiet stir?
When will Jehovah's lightnings rend thy gloom,
And fire the pregnant elements to war?
Will not the Voice which said—"Let there be light,"
And light creative sprang from Chaos' womb—
Dispel the phantoms of this darker night,
While sing the morning stars—"Be free, O Rome!"
And light creative sprang from Chaos' womb—
Dispel the phantoms of this darker night,
While sing the morning stars—"Be free, O Rome!"
First light, then life—first truth, then liberty;
If such the everlasting law—what then
Avails, that with phrenetic phantasy,
Should struggle in vain strife insensate men?
If such the everlasting law—what then
Avails, that with phrenetic phantasy,
Should struggle in vain strife insensate men?
The immortal sorrow of Titanic hearts
Ever lamenting in abysmal pain—
Eternal failure—warns the fetter parts
Once more to reunite the shortened chain.
Ever lamenting in abysmal pain—
Eternal failure—warns the fetter parts
Once more to reunite the shortened chain.
But God has patience—if weak men have faith,
Long ages rise and ebb before His throne
Transient and vain, as dying infant's breath,
Yet each its own appointed task has done.
Long ages rise and ebb before His throne
Transient and vain, as dying infant's breath,
Yet each its own appointed task has done.
And thus the purpose of a people's will,
Though tyrants oft the work of shame renew,
Stands steadfast as the Will Supreme; while still
Fail the weak efforts of the frenzied few.
Though tyrants oft the work of shame renew,
Stands steadfast as the Will Supreme; while still
Fail the weak efforts of the frenzied few.
Not prematurely severed falls a chain,
A nation wins its birthright to be free,
On the broad field of sure material gain,
By freedom's law, not lawless liberty!
A nation wins its birthright to be free,
On the broad field of sure material gain,
By freedom's law, not lawless liberty!
By work-days, not by "feste," pens, not swords,
Ploughshares, 'stead of daggers; not the flow
Of idle "vivas," nor warm frothy words,
But cold mute lips, knit brows, and hands that do.
Ploughshares, 'stead of daggers; not the flow
Of idle "vivas," nor warm frothy words,
But cold mute lips, knit brows, and hands that do.
Mark ye no symptoms of a mighty birth,
Hear ye no voice of angel Prophecy,
No signs of travail in this pausing earth,
No portents in yon grand and star-crowned sky?
Hear ye no voice of angel Prophecy,
No signs of travail in this pausing earth,
No portents in yon grand and star-crowned sky?
Hark! from the gardens of the Aventine
There is a welcome hum of busy strife;
A people rise, where once knelt slaves supine,
Walking tumultuously to freedom's life!
There is a welcome hum of busy strife;
A people rise, where once knelt slaves supine,
Walking tumultuously to freedom's life!
Effaced the splendour of Rienzi's fame
Beneath thy dim Byzantine fane, St John!
Paled by the glories of a mightier name,
The giant shade was advent of the dawn.
Beneath thy dim Byzantine fane, St John!
Paled by the glories of a mightier name,
The giant shade was advent of the dawn.
A people and a leader. More, yet more,
Material progress lends her iron aid;
As Italy unites from shore to shore,
Electric[1] thoughts a fiery pathway tread.
Material progress lends her iron aid;
As Italy unites from shore to shore,
Electric[1] thoughts a fiery pathway tread.
The rival sirens of the opposing seas,
Their lifelong yearning fading in their eyes,
Sing, floating downwards through the freshening breeze
A swan-like dirge, with soft harmonious sighs.
Their lifelong yearning fading in their eyes,
Sing, floating downwards through the freshening breeze
A swan-like dirge, with soft harmonious sighs.
All antique fable and all modern cheat
Crouch in base fear before the flashing storm,
And Science, the archangel, 'neath his feet
Has crushed each falsehood's vile satanic form.
Crouch in base fear before the flashing storm,
And Science, the archangel, 'neath his feet
Has crushed each falsehood's vile satanic form.
Within the Coliseum's weed-crowned wall,
In immemorial silence mute no more,
Whisper stern voices and the moonbeam's fall,
On phantoms pacing its sepulchral floor.
In immemorial silence mute no more,
Whisper stern voices and the moonbeam's fall,
On phantoms pacing its sepulchral floor.
Wherever heroes perished, martyrs prayed
Their solemn voiceless last appeal to God,
Where pale Cecilia's gentle tomb is laid,
Where patriot blood has sanctified the sod—
Their solemn voiceless last appeal to God,
Where pale Cecilia's gentle tomb is laid,
Where patriot blood has sanctified the sod—
Wherever act heroic, faith sublime,
Have found the Calvary on earth, a power
Regenerative lives; when strikes the time
Each shining Presence quits the grave once more!
Have found the Calvary on earth, a power
Regenerative lives; when strikes the time
Each shining Presence quits the grave once more!
The haloes on their brow illumine thine,
For ever fled its weird mysterious gloom—
The Dawn wakes Memnon—and a voice divine,
Offspring of Light, bursts from thy hills, O Rome!
For ever fled its weird mysterious gloom—
The Dawn wakes Memnon—and a voice divine,
Offspring of Light, bursts from thy hills, O Rome!
Yon grey Campagna, stretching far and calm:
Yon stately arches striding to the sea,
Yield myriad echoes of that glorious psalm,
And chant their grand hosanna to the free.
Yon stately arches striding to the sea,
Yield myriad echoes of that glorious psalm,
And chant their grand hosanna to the free.
The Marian cypress, and the Dorian pine,
And lone Soracte's blue and distant height,
Ever reverberate that song divine
As deepens into noon the orbed Light.
And lone Soracte's blue and distant height,
Ever reverberate that song divine
As deepens into noon the orbed Light.
Mazzini! in thy sad and exiled home,
Arise! that light sheds aureole on thy brow;
August, yet erring dreamer, o'er thy Rome
Exulting waves the badge of Freedom now.
Arise! that light sheds aureole on thy brow;
August, yet erring dreamer, o'er thy Rome
Exulting waves the badge of Freedom now.
Like Simeon, breathe one deep exulting prayer,
And turn with folded hands to yonder dome,
'Where shines amid: the stars yon cross in air,
Epiphany of hope to thee and Rome!
And turn with folded hands to yonder dome,
'Where shines amid: the stars yon cross in air,
Epiphany of hope to thee and Rome!
- ↑ There was a rumour in 1852 of an electric telegraph at Rome to be connected with two others—one at Ancona, the other at Civita Vecchia.