, 1864-04-02
DisuniOn.
There's sound on thewlnd, there's shrill chilling

There's sound the wind, there's shrill chilling
cry,
Going past on the blast through the comfortless sky
In the night is a wailing that keenly hath Glove
Through my heart like the pain of an unhappy love-
And the Nation, in slumbers she will not resign,
Is vexed and disturbed by sound and a sign;
And sobs in her sleep as the warnings go past,
There is danger, and dscord, and death on the blast
And whence comes the wndg and what causes the
pain a -.r
And wherefore this whisper from Texas to Maine?
And why in the fullness and depth of her rest,
Sho'd the heart of mother in dreams be disresd
Potomac's blue waters are clear as the skies,
And the chiefs that st by them are valiant and wise
But low, laughing fiend in their counses has stole
Aud darhons with fo~'nest f'ip calm OF each SOUL
&. r.oiso- ',,--- y, rs4es ~ their veins,
Wild frenzy is racing their hearts and their brains
And the demon still Kisses in whispers Of fear,
''DIsUNIoNl DIsUNIoN l' in each maddened ear;
And this is the reason that pain and dismay
Glide like ghosts through the night and make paid
the day;
And from thence are the sghs and the sounds that
have made
For her children, the heart of our mother afraid.
Is it 50 can it be are they prophets who say
That night shall return the light of our day
Shall the despots whose hootings ring sharp in our
ears,
Exult in our rdownfall-reioice in our tears p ..-
Was it all but dream, bright vision that came
On the camps of fathers through battle and flame?
Did she whisper in vain in each as she passed,
"Theres temple found here for Jehovah at last
On this fresh land of God ye shall worship and dwell
And the sound of yourjoy shall be tyranny's knen.
Pass on through the fre-by your trials made strong
Leave not on your borders one footprint of wrong,
Be as one and cling close, the drops in the wave
Strike firm and fear not-tree home or the grave %
o. woe to the land where the words are forgot
Alas for the nation where union is not
Mourn, mourn, and lament for the ill-fated shore.
Ye millions who toll in the south or the north
Ye with strong iron, and hearts OF true worth
Wipe the sweat from your brows, look aloft and be-
hold
On the sweeping west wind theresa banner unroed.
Not an inch of that flag but purchased by strife,
Not thread in its woof but won by life,
Tis your hope-your last hope! while it floats there
shall be
A land undivided, a race that is free.
viii you-dare you stand idle while madmen draw
near
And rend the bright banner that cost you 80 dear9
Speak aloud-they shall lisen-for oh they know
well
This life is your favor, your anger their knell
One shout for the Union one cheer for the band
Who reared the starred flag in the night Of our land
And we'll who shall whisper disunon, or strife
God shield thee Green Erin for manhood no more
Has homestead, or harvest, or hope on thy shore;
And France like Titan, awakened by pain,
Struck only one blow and now slumbers again.
Italia lies bleeding and Kossuth has fled,
While the band that hung ronnd him are exiled and
dead
Here lonely we only the flag have unfarled.
In whose shadow may rest the oppressed ofthe world
And woe TO the foe who by discOTd or war,
Would quench in our standard the beams of star
Though his heart be of iron, his hand made bold
AS to break the strong band that was woven of old;
Yet heed well the sequel; our banner ofblue
Has stripes for the foemen as stars tor the true,
And the sun shall not shine the that shall see
Dismembered or conquered the Flag of the Free.
-EdeOarG Pollock, 1858