Login
|
Join PoetrySoup
Home
Submit Poems
Login
Sign Up
Member Home
My Poems
My Quotes
My Profile & Settings
My Inboxes
My Outboxes
Soup Mail
Contest Results/Status
Contests
Poems
Poets
Famous Poems
Famous Poets
Dictionary
Types of Poems
Quotes
Short Stories
Articles
Forum
Blogs
Poem of the Day
New Poems
Resources
Syllable Counter
Anthology
Grammar Check
Greeting Card Maker
Classifieds
Member Area
Member Home
My Profile and Settings
My Poems
My Quotes
My Short Stories
My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder
Soup Social
Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us
Member Poems
Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Random
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread
Member Poets
Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest
Famous Poems
Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100
Famous Poets
Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War
Poetry Resources
Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter
Email Poem
Your IP Address: 3.133.86.172
From Email:
Required
Email Address Not Valid.
To Email:
Email Address Not Valid.
Required
Subject
Required
Personal Note:
Poem Title:
Poem
I heard an angel speak last night, And he said 'Write! Write a Nation's curse for me, And send it over the Western Sea.' I faltered, taking up the word: 'Not so, my lord! If curses must be, choose another To send thy curse against my brother. 'For I am bound by gratitude, By love and blood, To brothers of mine across the sea, Who stretch out kindly hands to me.' 'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write My curse to-night. From the summits of love a curse is driven, As lightning is from the tops of heaven.' 'Not so,' I answered. 'Evermore My heart is sore For my own land's sins: for little feet Of children bleeding along the street: 'For parked-up honors that gainsay The right of way: For almsgiving through a door that is Not open enough for two friends to kiss: 'For love of freedom which abates Beyond the Straits: For patriot virtue starved to vice on Self-praise, self-interest, and suspicion: 'For an oligarchic parliament, And bribes well-meant. What curse to another land assign, When heavy-souled for the sins of mine?' 'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write My curse to-night. Because thou hast strength to see and hate A foul thing done within thy gate.' 'Not so,' I answered once again. 'To curse, choose men. For I, a woman, have only known How the heart melts and the tears run down.' 'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write My curse to-night. Some women weep and curse, I say (And no one marvels), night and day. 'And thou shalt take their part to-night, Weep and write. A curse from the depths of womanhood Is very salt, and bitter, and good.' So thus I wrote, and mourned indeed, What all may read. And thus, as was enjoined on me, I send it over the Western Sea. The Curse Because ye have broken your own chain With the strain Of brave men climbing a Nation's height, Yet thence bear down with brand and thong On souls of others, -- for this wrong This is the curse. Write. Because yourselves are standing straight In the state Of Freedom's foremost acolyte, Yet keep calm footing all the time On writhing bond-slaves, -- for this crime This is the curse. Write. Because ye prosper in God's name, With a claim To honor in the old world's sight, Yet do the fiend's work perfectly In strangling martyrs, -- for this lie This is the curse. Write. Ye shall watch while kings conspire Round the people's smouldering fire, And, warm for your part, Shall never dare -- O shame! To utter the thought into flame Which burns at your heart. This is the curse. Write. Ye shall watch while nations strive With the bloodhounds, die or survive, Drop faint from their jaws, Or throttle them backward to death; And only under your breath Shall favor the cause. This is the curse. Write. Ye shall watch while strong men draw The nets of feudal law To strangle the weak; And, counting the sin for a sin, Your soul shall be sadder within Than the word ye shall speak. This is the curse. Write. When good men are praying erect That Christ may avenge His elect And deliver the earth, The prayer in your ears, said low, Shall sound like the tramp of a foe That's driving you forth. This is the curse. Write. When wise men give you their praise, They shall praise in the heat of the phrase, As if carried too far. When ye boast your own charters kept true, Ye shall blush; for the thing which ye do Derides what ye are. This is the curse. Write. When fools cast taunts at your gate, Your scorn ye shall somewhat abate As ye look o'er the wall; For your conscience, tradition, and name Explode with a deadlier blame Than the worst of them all. This is the curse. Write. Go, wherever ill deeds shall be done, Go, plant your flag in the sun Beside the ill-doers! And recoil from clenching the curse Of God's witnessing Universe With a curse of yours. This is the curse. Write.
Type the characters you see in the picture
Required