Fraternity-Testvériség, 1941 (19. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1941-08-01 / 8. szám

12

TESTVÉRISÉG

By craft and cunning conjured, and t’ expel The clouds of mist by sophist’s subtle hand Designed to shroud in darkness deep the land,) With loathsome adulation’s impious ray Adorn th’ imperial pageant of to-day.

Fling ’midst applause, scorned by the worst of times A mantle of excuse o’er hideous crimes,

And shower down with strange fatality,

Mean insults, undeserved ignominy,

On nationalities, who tho’ oppressed,

Are like the world with life e’erlasting blessed.

Her sails a meteor thro’ the clouded sky,

And fascinates at once the credulous eye,

Which sees the airy nothing from afar,

And wonder-struck exclaims, behold a star!

There rests on solid base, firm as the rock,

Which since creation’s dawn withstood the shock Of raging elements and hostile clime,

Uninjured e’en by all-devouring time,

A giant of majestic form and size,

When lo! ’tis but a shadow, faction cries:

Bribed echo quick repeats the ominous sound,

And eager millions stand, as if spell-bound.

Where is the key to solve this problem strange,

A phantom for reality t’ exchange,

The valorous aid, enthusiastic rise Of brave and gen’rous nations to despise,

And humbly supplicate a despot’s might,

For justice, right, and liberty to fight?

Unlock the chambers of diplomacy,

There’s hid the key t’ explain this mystery:

Burst ope’ the sacred precincts that encase The priests of statescraft in bewild’ring maze,

And tear the efforts, worthy of the free,

The cobwebs of delusive sophistry.

O’ glorious Freedom! when will faction’s lease Thy gallant children’s fame to spatter cease;

The blood they in thy hallow’d cause have spilt To brand with that disgraceful name of guilt?

Shall, then, no son of thine their wiles o’erthrow, Expose their fraudulent intrigues, and show Thine injured realms free from reproach and blame, And cover thy perverters all with shame?

Yes, to this onerous task thy sacred flame Inspired thy noblest son, Kossuth his name,

Who, free from folly’s lie and fraud’s pretence, Dares speak the simple truth and sober sense;

Whose eagle-eye and comprehensive soul

Pierced secrets dark and deep, and grasped the whole;

Whose warning voice, prophetic as of old,

The coming sad events in vain foretold,

Whose pen guides wisdom, and fills ev’ry page,

And whose just fame will last from age to age.

★