TO THE SLANDERERS OF RUSSIA
Why, ray ey, bubblers,so - ye lords of popular wonder?
Why such anathemas' gaisnt Russia do you thunder?
What moves your idle rage? Is't Poland's fallen pride?
'T is but Slavonic kin among themselves contending,
An acient household strife, oft judged but still enending,
A question which,be sure, you never can decide.
For ages past still have contented,
These races, though so near allied:
And oft 'neath Victory's storm has bended
Now their, and now our side.
Which shall stand in such commotion
The haughty Liakh, or faitfull Russ?
Or shall Slavonic streams meet in a Russian ocean?
Or il't dry up? This is point for us.
Leave us!: Your eyses are all unable
To read our history's bloody table;
Strange in your sight and dark must be
Our springs of household enmity!
To you the Kreml and Praga's tower
Are voiceless all,- you mark the fate
And daring of the battle-hour -
And understand us not, but hate.
What stir's ye?
Is it that this nation,
On Moscow's flaming walls, blood-slaked and ruin-quench'd
Spurn'd back the insolent dictation
Of Him, before whose nod ye blenched?
Is it that into dust we shatter'd
The Dagon that weigh'd down all earth so wearily,
And our best blood so freely scatter'd
To buy for Europe peace and liberty?
Ye're bold of tongue - but hark,would ye in deed but try it
Or is the hero, now reclined in laurelled quiet,
Too weak to fix one more, Izmail's red bayonet?
Or hath the Russian Tsar ever, in vain commanded?
Or must we meet all Europe banded?
Have we forgot to conquer yet?
Or rather, shall they not, from Perm to Tauris' fountains
From hot Colchian steppes, to Finland's icy mountains,
From the grey, half-shatter'd wall,
To fair Kathay, in dotage buried,
A steely rampart, close and serried,
Rise, Russia's warriors, one and all?
Then send your numbers without number,
Your madden'd sons, your goaded slaves,
In Russia's plains there's room to slumber
And well they'll know their brethren's graves!
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