Over the Carnage Rose Prophetic a Voice

OVER the carnage rose prophetic a voice,

Be not dishearten'd—Affection shall solve the problems of Freedom yet;

Those who love each other shall become invincible— they shall yet make Columbia victorious.

Sons of the Mother of All! you shall yet be victo-rious!victorious

You shall yet laugh to scorn the attacks of all the re-mainderremainder of the earth.

No danger shall balk Columbia's lovers;

If need be, a thousand shall sternly immolate themselves for one.

One from Massachusetts shall be a Missourian's com-radecomrade;

From Maine and from hot Carolina, and another an Ore-goneseOregonese, shall be friends triune,

More precious to each other than all the riches of the earth.

To Michigan, Florida perfumes shall tenderly come;

Not the perfumes of flowers, but sweeter, and wafted beyond death.

It shall be customary in the houses and streets to see manly affection;

The most dauntless and rude shall touch face to face lightly;

The dependence of Liberty shall be lovers,

The continuance of Equality shall be comrades.

These shall tie you and band you stronger than hoops of iron;

I, extatic, O partners! O lands! with the love of lovers tie you.

Were you looking to be held together by the lawyers?

Or by an agreement on a paper? or by arms?

—Nay—nor the world, nor any living thing, will so cohere.