With nothing to lose but our chains,
with nothing to give but our lives,
we offer on the altar of freedom
these fists, this blood, these cries.
Somewhere beyond these frozen fields,
these shattered villages and farms,
somewhere beyond this charnel house
justice comes, as mighty as a storm.
All that I have is strength,
my bones, my breath, my eyes
and all that I own is my hope
that these may all suffice.
Arise! Awake my bothers, do not sleep
when wolves abound and wander amongst sheep!
Author notes
"The rose of liberty is watered by the blood of patriots."
Thomas Jefferson
A contest entry
- Picture prompt - Defiance! by Mairi bheag.
1000 points, ended June 14, 2008, 11 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
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I thought this was a great anthem -
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I love what you have done here, in response to the prompt. I like the way you have taken the sonnet form and whittled it into the shape you want; the pentametric nature of the final couplet gives the ending a kick. Thank you very much for this entry.
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Inspiring and defiant words indeed! Your last two lines remind me of the concluding verse of Shelley's The Mask of Anarchy:
"Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number--
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you--
Ye are many--they are few."
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Thanks Bill. Shelley was my favorite poet in high school.
Mac
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