Page:The Spirit of the Nation.djvu/172

76 And still the crimes

Of those dark times

Are perpetrated hour by hour,

And Saxon fraud,

By unaw'd,

Goes hand in hand with Saxon power!

What lesson stern

Thou'st left to learn,

Oft baffled, but unyielding King,

"In peace or strife,

In death or life,

The Saxon bears a poison'd sting.

Then weal or woe,

Strike home the blow,

And win at least the hero's fate,

And far on high

Your destiny

Shall rank with stars of loftiest state."

O'Nial swears

The crown he wears,

While throbs one pulse, or heaves one breath,

To meet thy band

With glove and brand,

Invading brigand to the death.

Nor length of years,

Nor blood nor tears,

Defeat, disaster, nor distress,

Shall mar the word

Pledg'd on the sword

He clutches for the merciless.

THE END.