Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ALL HAIL TO THE CZAR!, by ALFRED AUSTIN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: All hail to the czar! By the fringe of the foam Last Line: "than had lived to hear silent -- ""all hail to the czar!" Subject(s): Alexander Ii, Czar Of Russia (1818-1881) | ||||||||
I. ALL hail to the Czar! By the fringe of the foam That thunders, untamed, around Albion's shore, See multitudes throng, dense as sea-birds whose home Is betwixt the deaf rocks and the ocean's mad roar; And across the ridged waters stand straining their eyes For a glimpse of the Eagle that comes from afar: Lo! it swoops towards the beach, and they greet it with cries That silence the billows -- "All hail to the Czar!" II. All hail to the Czar! England's noblest and best, Her oldest, her newest, her proudest are there, And they vie in obeisance before the great guest, For the prize of his nod, for the alms of his stare. To the seat of their Empire they draw him along, Where the Palace flies open to welcome his car, And Prince, Press, and People, with leader and song, Ring the change on the paean -- "All hail to the Czar!" III. All hail to the Czar! the bold Monarch who shook From the heart of the Lion its insolent lust, That once from the strongest no outrage would brook, Till it crouched at his feet, till it crawled in the dust! Who the laurels bequeathed to us tore from our brow, Who extinguished our fame that once shone like a star, Made our rulers to tremble, our heralds to bow, And our bosoms to mock us -- "All hail to the Czar!" IV. All hail to the Czar! O yes! show him your ships, Had your courage not failed, he had seen before now, As they dally at anchor, the gag on their lips, And the peace-loving holiday trim on their prow! Yes! show him your army, that mighty array He so rashly defied when he ventured to mar The last work of its hands, and remind it to say, But with bayonets inverted -- "All hail to the Czar!" V. All hail to the Czar! As ye revel and feast, I marvel the ghosts of the bootlessly slain Do not come from their cold lonely graves in the East, From the hillside that looks o'er the desolate main, Which they perished to save, ye surrender, to live, To the man ye now slaver, all base as ye are! Do not stalk through the banquet-hall, pallid, and give The gay toast ere ye drink it -- "All hail to the Czar!" VI. All hail to the Czar! For his daughter he gave, Like Atrides of old, without shrinking or qualm, Though not that the white ships might move o'er the wave, But that ours still might ride in immovable calm! What Religion could once, now can Statecraft persuade; And if ye would devote to the furies of war Half as freely your sons as he gave up his maid, Without shame might ye shout then -- "All hail to the Czar!" VII. All hail to the Czar! Are ye then sunk so low, O ye sons of the once fearless masters of earth! That ye pour out the wine for an insolent foe, That in depths of dishonour ye simulate mirth? That, like unto mongrel hounds beaten and cowed, Ye, crouched, lick alternately smiter and scar? -- Oh, rather my country lay deaf in its shroud, Than had lived to hear silent -- "All hail to the Czar!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ALEXANDER II OF RUSSIA by EDNA DEAN PROCTOR THE PRINCE AND THE CZAR by JOHN LAURENCE RENTOUL CZAR ALEXANDER THE SECOND by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI POSSIBLE RESULTS OF FRIENDS' MISSION TO ST. PETERSBURG (1) by CHARLES TENNYSON TURNER POSSIBLE RESULTS OF FRIENDS' MISSION TO ST. PETERSBURG (2) by CHARLES TENNYSON TURNER THE DEAD EMPEROR by WALT WHITMAN THE LAST REDOUBT by ALFRED AUSTIN A COUNTRY NOSEGAY by ALFRED AUSTIN |
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