Living

Restored Allegiance

by William Watson 1858–1935

From Ver Tenebrosum (1885)

Living

Dark is thy trespass, deep be thy remorse,
O England! Fittingly thine own feet bleed,
Submissive to the purblind guides that lead
Thy weary steps along this rugged course.
Yet ... when I glance abroad, and track the source
More selfish far, of other nations' deed,
And mark their tortuous craft, their jealous greed,
Their serpent-wisdom or mere soulless force,
Homeward returns my vagrant fealty,
Crying, "O England, shouldst thou one day fall,
Shatter'd in ruins by some Titan foe,
Justice were thenceforth weaker throughout all
The world, and Truth less passionately free,
And God the poorer for thine overthrow."

MLA

Watson, William. “Restored Allegiance.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/watson/52/.

Chicago

Watson, William. “Restored Allegiance.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/watson/52/.

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