Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-03-03
SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1900
ODE TO Ethiopia.
Written for the Planet. ]

lana
Thou who dost shake the nations with
The Gift Of God-Proud Ethiopia,
The pride OF peace, and yet the strength
Incline. we pray. thy mighty head to
hear;
While our weak voice begs leave to
bring thee cheer.
Full many year has closed its dying
eyes;
Full many q sun has crept ACROSS the
skies;
Full many tribe has come, expired
and gone,
Since thine illustrious march WAS fret
begun.
To every league OF thy great continent
To utmost verges OF the Orient,
Through Europe's main of many thous-
and miles,
Across the seas connecting various
isles,
Thence, to the West, whsre thrive yam
and corn,
Thy path has been; and still thou
nsrchest on.
Thou has run we'll; not vain ia all shy
past;
Those misty years have yielded fruits
which last.
Albeit, fame was not with thee to
dwell,
Thy numbers grew, that present years
might tell:
Ne. vain 10 thee, those bitter deys Just
spent,
Those wicked pangs, thine inmost soul
which rent;
Not vain the toll which bore upon thy
nerves.;
Pure qualities of patience did Il serve.
Oh, meier despair for what the past has
BROUGHT
Were lot great plans OF progress by IL
wrought
Awake and rouse, ye swsrthy son OF
Ham
Your works are hsnored by the great
1 Am,
Not as the cewsrd's sword, thy saber
wields;
Thy sons have flsyed thousand battle
fieldsi
Thinkest thou that freedom in this
southern land,
Was preferred thee by eager, generous
hand,-
While thou, helpless band of para
sites,
Stoodst mute, Indifferent of thy vital
rights;
Yet as the swine receives with noisy
glee
His masters grant, so freedom came
TO thee?
Not so. Thy liberty was dearly bought
The peace that came to thee was not
unsought.
Two hundred twenty-fi five thousand
times
or thy great sons, walled in their stur-
dy prime,
Without flag to cheer their onward
march,
Through chilly streams. where scorch-
ing sunbeams parch;
Without q name: no loyal country
theirs;
Devoid of hope, except what came
through prayers,
While southern shells burst forth in
Humorous roar,
Their energy and likelihood did out
pour.
Why hazard they their all to cruel
fate
Why face the jaws OF death without a
II not for hope of liberty and life,
What lured them on to contest in the
strife
What less that should such heroes re-
ceive?
What less than that would ingrstes
choose to give?
One title less q meagre recompense,
To slaves who struggle in their own
defence.
Then stand like men: your freedom is
your own:
Your own great cause you've fought
like zeal, and won.
Who thinks enfrsnchisement to be a
gift L?
Or that the ballot came to thee teo
swift ?
1t is q right; an unconditional right,
Conceived IN blood, and brought forth
by thy might.
Then who would dare to disfrsnchise
thy race ?
Or strow thy path with woes before thy
And yet some dare as If no right pre-
walls,
AS if no lack of love thy heart bewails.
But faint thou not from evils thus i'm
posed
Such evils fsunt; bat oh, how soon
fore closed
Mourn not nor weep; frown calmly on
despair:
Stand resolute; with head refined high
in air.
Maintain thine honor unity thy brood
Defy ofhcious bandits who obstrude.
Wilt thou recant this famous battle
ground,
On which for ages races have been
found
Thy cruel lot is not beyond compare,
There's not q race but which sustained
its share.
Dost thou suppose more honored than
the rest,
Thou shalt escape this stern but right
eous test ?
God wills it not, nor would thy patient
heart,
Considering well. have them at once
depart.
The golden mass, when cast into the
forge,
Endures the smelling of the fiery
scourge;
A.