Page:The cry for justice - an anthology of the literature of social protest. - (IA cryforjusticea00sinc).pdf/883

 Marvelled to see those stones of Venice rising To Labor's matin chant intoned so clear, As the great towers builded by Amphion Rose to the lyre's strong throbbing, tier on tier.

Give us, O Child, the gifts we lack full sorely— Give us your heritage of art and song, The soul that in your fathers grew, sun-nourished, Soaring above its poverty and wrong.

Of singing vintagers and laughing reapers Teach us your happy, sunland way, nor we In blind greed longer lay a stern proscription Upon your song, O Heart of Italy!

Free and serene, in his reward unstinted, The workman's hand shall mould his rhythmic thought; How candid to the keen-eyed gods' appraisal Shall be the work of Song's great ardor wrought—

When our young land, reborn in Beauty's image, Unto the Morn of Prophecy shall come, And every tower be raised with mirth and music, And every harvest brought with singing home.

The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives. They shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities.