<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;" class="">A Curse For A Nation</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">I heard an angel speak last night,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">And he said 'Write!</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Write a Nation's curse for me,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">And send it over the Western Sea.'</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">I faltered, taking up the word:</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'Not so, my lord!</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">If curses must be, choose another</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">To send thy curse against my brother.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'For I am bound by gratitude,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">By love and blood,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">To brothers of mine across the sea,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Who stretch out kindly hands to me.'</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">My curse to-night.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">From the summits of love a curse is driven,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">As lightning is from the tops of heaven.'</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'Not so,' I answered. 'Evermore</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">My heart is sore</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">For my own land's sins: for little feet</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Of children bleeding along the street:</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'For parked-up honors that gainsay</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">The right of way:</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">For almsgiving through a door that is</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Not open enough for two friends to kiss:</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'For love of freedom which abates</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Beyond the Straits:</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">For patriot virtue starved to vice on</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Self-praise, self-interest, and suspicion:</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'For an oligarchic parliament,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">And bribes well-meant.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">What curse to another land assign,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">When heavy-souled for the sins of mine?'</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">My curse to-night.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Because thou hast strength to see and hate</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">A foul thing done within thy gate.'</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'Not so,' I answered once again.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'To curse, choose men.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">For I, a woman, have only known</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">How the heart melts and the tears run down.'</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">My curse to-night.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Some women weep and curse, I say</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">(And no one marvels), night and day.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">'And thou shalt take their part to-night,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Weep and write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">A curse from the depths of womanhood</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Is very salt, and bitter, and good.'</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">So thus I wrote, and mourned indeed,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">What all may read.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">And thus, as was enjoined on me,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">I send it over the Western Sea.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">The Curse</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Because ye have broken your own chain</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">With the strain</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Of brave men climbing a Nation's height,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Yet thence bear down with brand and thong</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">On souls of others, -- for this wrong</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Because yourselves are standing straight</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">In the state</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Of Freedom's foremost acolyte,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Yet keep calm footing all the time</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">On writhing bond-slaves, -- for this crime</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Because ye prosper in God's name,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">With a claim</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">To honor in the old world's sight,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Yet do the fiend's work perfectly</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">In strangling martyrs, -- for this lie</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Ye shall watch while kings conspire</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Round the people's smouldering fire,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">And, warm for your part,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Shall never dare -- O shame!</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">To utter the thought into flame</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Which burns at your heart.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Ye shall watch while nations strive</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">With the bloodhounds, die or survive,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Drop faint from their jaws,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Or throttle them backward to death;</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">And only under your breath</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Shall favor the cause.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Ye shall watch while strong men draw</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">The nets of feudal law</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">To strangle the weak;</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">And, counting the sin for a sin,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Your soul shall be sadder within</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Than the word ye shall speak.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">When good men are praying erect</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">That Christ may avenge His elect</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">And deliver the earth,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">The prayer in your ears, said low,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Shall sound like the tramp of a foe</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">That's driving you forth.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">When wise men give you their praise,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">They shall praise in the heat of the phrase,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">As if carried too far.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">When ye boast your own charters kept true,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Ye shall blush; for the thing which ye do</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Derides what ye are.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">When fools cast taunts at your gate,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Your scorn ye shall somewhat abate</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">As ye look o'er the wall;</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">For your conscience, tradition, and name</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Explode with a deadlier blame</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Than the worst of them all.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Go, wherever ill deeds shall be done,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Go, plant your flag in the sun</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Beside the ill-doers!</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">And recoil from clenching the curse</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Of God's witnessing Universe</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">With a curse of yours.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">This is the curse. Write.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Elizabeth Barrett Browning</div></body></html>