THE PERUVIAN'S DIRGE OVER THE BODY OF HIS FATHER. 1. REST in peace, my Father, rest! I bless thee, O Wife of the Sun, Thy votary toil'd in fear. Thou badest the clouds of night 2. Wretched, my Father, thy life! And dreams of the freedom that once he enjoy'd. My Father! for then thou wert free. 3. Thou visible Lord of the Earth, Thou God of my Fathers, thou God of my heart, O Giver of light and of life! When the Strangers came to our shores, Why didst thou not put forth thy power? Thy thunders should then have been hurl'd, Thy fires should in lightnings have flash'd!.. Visible God of the Earth, The Strangers mock at thy might! 4. My Father, rest in peace! Rest with the dust of thy Sires! They placed their Cross in thy dying grasp;....... And over thy breathless frame In the field where the Strangers are laid?... My Father, I bring thee here: So may our God, in reward, Allow me one faithful friend To lay me beside thee when I am released! So may he summon me soon, That my Spirit may join thee there, 'Where the strangers never shall come! SONG OF THE ARAUCANS DURING A THUNDER STORM. THE storm-cloud grows deeper above; The Souls of the Strangers are there, In their garments of darkness they ride through the heaven; Yon cloud that rolls luridly over the hill Is red with their weapons of fire. Hark! hark! in the howl of the wind The shout of the battle, the clang of their drums ; The horsemen are met, and the shock of the fight Is the blast that disbranches the wood. Behold from the clouds of their power The lightning,.. the lightning is lanced at our sires! And the thunder that shakes the broad pavement of Heaven! And the darkness that quenches the day! Ye Souls of our Fathers, be brave! We gaze on your warfare in hope, We send up our shouts to encourage your arms! Lift the lance of your vengeance, O Fathers, with force, For the wrongs of your country strike home! Remember the land was your own When the Sons of Destruction came over the seas; Till the Strangers came into the land With tongues of deceit and with weapons of fire: Then the strength of the people in youth was cut off, And the father wept over his son. It thickens.. the tumult of fight! Louder and louder the blast of the battle is heard!.. Remember the wrongs that your country endures! Remember the fields of your fame! Joy! joy! for the Strangers recoil, . . They give way,.. they retreat,.. they are routed, .. they fly; Pursue them! pursue them! remember your wrongs! your lances be drunk with their wounds. Let The Souls of your wives shall rejoice As they welcome you back to your Islands of Bliss; And the breeze that refreshes the toil-throbbing brow Waft thither the song of your praise. Westbury, 1799. |