Ashes of Life

And all the bright and variegated scene, combust the dead,
On hills, and groves, and lawns, and reed-built sheds
That often had caught the prisoner's ardent eye,
Not hopeless of escape, now gradual sunk in to die
To one dim hue. Amongst the sable tribes and hills they leapt,
Soon spread the alarm; when sudden from the low depths
Of crouded holds, and loathsome caverns, rose into the air,
One universal yell, of dreaded screams, and most in despair
And anguish inexpressible; for it is now crumbled to the ground,
Hope's slender thread was broke; the fire's extinguished now
The spark of expectation, that had lurked through their poise,
Beneath the ashes of their hopes, dreams, and former joys
And over despondency's surrounding gloom we search the scarce,
Had shed its languid luster. Bold, and fierce
Of high indignant spirit, their chains broke off their thighs,
Shook menacing, and from their squinted, lowering eyes
Flashed earnest of the flame that burnt for years,
Whilst groans, and loud laments, and scalding tears
Marked the keen pangs of others.Children, and female shrieks,
At intervals, in dreadful concert heard, God speaks
To wild distraction manly sorrow turned to grins,
And ineffectual, over their heedless limbs
Was waved the wiry whip, that dropped with blood,
As their knees buckled down, and hit the mud
Now sunk the mournful day; but mournful still,
The night that followed: and the rising morn is killed
That spread before the hopeless captives view,
Nought, but the wide expanse of air, and sea was blue
Heard all their cries with double rage renewed pests,
Nor did the storm of headstrong, passions rest
Till the third evening closed; nor by degrees,
Was hushed; but sudden as the autumnal blast was seized

Its rage exhausted sinks at once to rest was coarse,
Whilst the wide wood, that bowed beneath its course
Declines its wearied branches, thus the strife is sure,
Ceased—not a groan, and not even a voice was heard
But, as one soul had influenced every child,
A sullen stillness reigned. Resigned and mild
As if forgot their former sense of wrong, ends turned,
They took the scanty fare they lately spurned;
And if a tear should mingle, merge with their souls,
They know that God is with them for eternity, to start their goals

Peace to your shades, yet favoured train, who's stolen,
Amidst the generous struggle! over whose limbs were broken
The friendly hand of Death, has interposed remorse,
His fated curtain; stronger and smarter than human force
Nor human malice, nor the deep regret we sang,
Of disappointed avarice, ignore the pang
Of keen remorse, that gnaws the murderer's peace,
And blasts his future joys, can't ever remove his leash
——Secure beneath its guardian gloom, yet they still sleep,
In undisturbed repose: no more bad starts for the week
At misery's kindred shriek; no more yelll and weeps,
Over fond domestic ties, untimely torn through sheets
No longer from the oppressor's hand, we ask with lies,
The slender pittance, that prolongs, your pitiful lives
To lengthened anguish; nor for you prepares you pray,
As you watch the breeze blow your mother's ashes away..