Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-05-21
MOTHER AND POET.
cTurin-Afser News from G@ta, 1851
BY NRs. ELIzABErH BARRETT BROWNING,

BY MRS. ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING.
THE following magnificent poem-for will not e,
cry reader say II IS truly magnificent twill find a
echo In a hundred thousand mothers hearts tO-da,
whose sons are now on the battlefield of thercOuI
Try, hghting for Liberty in America as Mrs. Brown
ing heroes are fighting for liberty in Italy. Go
oless the woman who moves two nations with on
song IN J. LnofcpeRdeHf.l
I.
Deadl one Of them shot by the sea in the east,
And one Of them shot in the west by the sea-
Deadl both my boys! When you sit at the feast
| And are wanting great song for Italy free,
Let none look at me!
/ Yet / was poetess only last year,
And good at my art, for a weman, men said;
But this woman, this who is agOnized here,
The east sea and west sea rhyme on in her head
Forever instead.
III.
What art can a woman be good at? Oh vaini
With the milk teeth Of babes, and a smile at tn
paint
All. boys. how you hurt! you were strong as yOl
And proud, by that test
What arts for a woman? To hold on her knees
Both darlings! to feel all their arms round hel
Cling. strangle alittleI to sew by degrees.
And brOider the long clothes and neat little coat
To dream and to dote.
To teach them-It stings there. Imade them in
deed
Sreak plain the word country" taught them
doubt,
That country s thing men should die for at need
prated of liberty. rights. and about
The tyrant turned out.
VI.
And when their eyes fashed-0m my beautiful eyes
/ exulted nay, let them go forth at the wheels
Of the guns. and denied not But then the surprise
When one sits quite alone! Then one weeps then
God how the house feels!
VII.
At first happy news came, in gay letters mailed
With my kisses. at camp-life and glory,
And how they both loved me, and soon, coming to
be spoiled,
In return would fan off every fly from my brow
With their green-laurel bough.
Then was triumph at Turin. "Aneona was freeIp
With face pale as stone, to say -omething to me.
My Guido was dead II fell down at his feet,
While they eheered in the street
bore it-friends sOOthed me; my grief looked sub
As the ransom of Italy. One boy remained
To be lcant on and walked with recalling the time
When the hTst grew immortal. while both of us
To the height he had gained.
And letters still came shorter sadder more strong
. Writ now but in one hand. II was not to faint.
"0ne loved me for two would be with me ere long;
And 'Nive Italia he died-for, our saint,
Who forbids our complaint"
XI.
Ny Nanni would add, he was safe and aware
"Of presence that turned of the balls-was i'm
1T was Guido himself, who knew what could bear
And how twas impossible, quite dispossessed,
To live on for the rest"
XII.
On which without pause the telegraph line
Swept smoothly the next news from Geta-Shot
Tel has mother. An, ah, his II 'their'-moth-
er; not mine"
You think Guido forgot?
Are souls straight happy that dizzy with Heaven
They drop earth affections, conceived not of woe?
think not. Themselves were too lately forgiven
Through that Love andSorrOw which reconciled
The Above and Below.
XIV.
Christ Of the seven wounds. who loOk'dst thrO'
To the face of Thy mOtherl consider: Ipray.
low We common mothers stand desolate, mark,
Whose sons, not being Christ's. died with eyes |
And no last word to say!
9TH boys dead! but that's out of nature. We all
aave been patriots. yet each house mast always
Keep one.
Cwere imbecile. hewing out roads to a wall,
And when ltalys made. for what end is il done,
II We have not a SOM
XVI.
b, ah. sir when Gseta's taken what then!
When the fair wicked queen sits no more AT her
sport
f the reballs of death crashing souls out of men?
" hen your guns of Cavalh with final retort
Have cut the game short
XVII.
hen Venice and Rome keep their new jubilee,
When your flag takes all Heaven for its white,
green and red,
Then vOH have your country from mountain to
When King Victor has Italy's crown on his head.
land have my Dead)
That then Do not mock me. All. ring your bells |
low,
And burn your lights family country is there.
boTe the star prisked by the last peak of snow,
Ny ltalys herewith my brave civic Pair,
To disfranchise despair.
XIX.
Orgive me. Some women bear children in strength
And bite back the cry of their pain in self-seOrn
ut the birth-pangs Of nations will wiring US at
length
Into vail lsuch as this land we sit on forIrrn
When the man-child Is born.
TX.
adi-One of them shot by the sea in the west,
And one of them shot in the east by the sea.
othi both my bOys!-lf in keeping the feast
lou want great song for your Italy free,
Let none look at mel