France, an Ode

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge · Explore poems

Ye Clouds, that far above me float and pause,
Whose pathless march no mortal may control!
Ye ocean waves, that, wheresoe'er ye roll,
Yield homage only to eternal laws!
Ye woods, that listen to the night-bird's singing,
Midway the smooth and perilous steep reclin'd;
Save when your own imperious branches swinging
Have made a solemn music of the wind!
Where, like a man belov'd of God,
Thro' glooms, which never woodman trod,
How oft, pursuing fancies holy,
My moonlight way o'er flow'ring weeds I wound,
Inspir'd beyond the guess of folly,
By each rude shape, and wild unconquerable sound!
O, ye loud waves, and O, ye forests high,
And O, ye clouds, that far above me soar'd!
Thou rising sun! thou blue rejoicing sky!
Yea, every thing that is and will be free,
Bear witness for me wheresoe'er ye be,
With what deep worship I have still ador'd
The spirit of divinest liberty.
When France in wrath her giant limbs uprear'd,
And with that oath which smote earth, air, and sea,
Stamp'd her strong foot and said, she would be free,
Bear witness for me, how I hop'd and fear'd!
With what a joy my lofty gratulation
Unaw'd I sung amid a slavish band:
And when to whelm the disenchanted nation,
Like fiends embattled by a wizard's wand,
The monarchs march'd in evil day,
And Britain join'd the dire array;
Though dear her shores, and circling ocean,
Though many friendships, many youthful loves
Had swoln the patriot emotion,
And flung a magic light o'er all her hills and groves;
Yet still my voice unalter'd sang defeat
To all that brav'd the tyrant-quelling lance,
And shame too long delay'd, and vain retreat!
For ne'er, O Liberty! with partial aim
I dimm'd thy light, or damp'd thy holy flame;
But blest the pæans of deliver'd France,
And hung my head, and wept at Britain's name!
"And what (I said) tho' blasphemy's loud scream
With that sweet music of deliv'rance strove;
Tho' all the fierce and drunken passions wove
A dance more wild than ever maniac's dream;
Ye storms, that round the dawning east assembled,
The sun was rising, tho' ye hid his light!"
And when to sooth my soul, that hop'd and trembled,
The dissonance ceas'd, and all seem'd calm and bright;
When France, her front deep-scar'd and gory,
Conceal'd with clust'ring wreaths of glory;
When insupportably advancing,
Her arm made mock'ry of the warrior's ramp,
While, timid looks of fury glancing,
Domestic treason, crush'd beneath her fatal stamp,
Writh'd, like a wounded dragon in his gore;
Then I reproach'd my fears that would not flee,
"And soon (I said) shall wisdom teach her lore
In the low huts of them that toil and groan!
And conqu'ring by her happiness alone,
Shall France compel the nations to be free,
Till love and joy look round, and call the earth their own!"
Forgive me, Freedom! O forgive these dreams!
I hear thy voice, I hear thy loud lament,
From bleak Helvetia's icy caverns sent—
I hear thy groans upon her blood-stain'd streams!
Heroes, that for your peaceful country perish'd;
And ye, that fleeing spot the mountain snows
With bleeding wounds; forgive me, that I cherish'd
One thought, that ever bless'd your cruel foes!
To scatter rage and trait'rous guilt
Where Peace her jealous home had built;
A patriot race to disinherit
Of all that made their stormy wilds so dear,
And with inexpiable spirit
To taint the bloodless freedom of the mountaineer.—
O France! that mockest heav'n, adult'rous, blind,
And patriot only in pernicious toils!
Are these thy boasts, champion of human kind:
To mix with kings in the low lull of sway,
Yell in the hunt, and share the murd'rous prey;
T' insult the shrine of liberty with spoils
From freemen torn; to tempt and to betray!
The sensual and the dark rebel in vain,
Slaves by their own compulsion! In mad game
They burst their manacles, and wear the name
Of freedom graven on a heavier chain!
O Liberty! with profitless endeavour
Have I pursued thee many a weary hour:
But thou nor swell'st the victor's strain, nor ever
Didst breathe thy soul in forms of human pow'r.
Alike from all, howe'er they praise thee,
(Nor pray'r, nor boastful name delays thee)
Alike from priesthood's harpy minions,
And factious blasphemy's obscener slaves,
Thou speedest on thy subtle pinions,
To live amid the winds, and move upon the waves!
And then I felt thee on that sea-cliff's verge,
Whose pines, scarce travell'd by the breeze above,
Had made one murmur with the distant surge!
Yes! while I stood and gaz'd, my temples bare,
And shot my being thro' earth, sea, and air,
Possessing all things with intensest love,
O Liberty, my spirit felt thee there!

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