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THE WAKE OF WILLIAM ORR, by                    
First Line: Here our murdered brother lies
Last Line: The day is come -- arise! -- arise!
Subject(s): Ireland - Rebellions


HERE our murdered brother lies --
Wake him not with women's cries;
Mourn the way that manhood ought;
Sit in silent trance of thought.

Write his merits on your mind --
Morals pure and manners kind;
In his head, as on a hill,
Virtue placed her citadel.

Why cut off in palmy youth?
Truth he spoke, and acted truth --
Countrymen, 'Unite!' he cried,
And died -- for what his Saviour died.

God of Peace, and God of Love,
Let it not thy vengeance move!
Let it not thy lightnings draw --
A Nation guillotin'd by law!

Hapless nation! rent and torn,
Thou wert early taught to mourn,
Warfare of six hundred years --
Epochs marked with blood and tears!

Hunted thro' thy native grounds,
Or flung reward to human hounds;
Each one pull'd and tore his share,
Heedless of thy deep despair.

Hapless Nation -- hapless Land,
Heap of uncementing sand!
Crumbled by a foreign weight,
And, by worse, domestic hate.

God of Mercy! God of Peace!
Make the mad confusion cease;
O'er the mental chaos move,
Through it speak the light of love.

Monstrous and unhappy sight,
Brothers' blood will not unite;
Holy oil and holy water,
Mix, and fill the world with slaughter.

Who is she with aspect wild?
The widow'd mother with her child --
Child new stirring in the womb!
Husband waiting for the tomb!

Angel of this sacred place,
Calm her soul and whisper peace,
Cord, or axe, or guillotin'
Make the sentence -- not the sin.

Here we watch our brother's sleep;
Watch with us, but do not weep;
Watch with us thro' dead of night,
But expect the morning light.

conquer fortune -- persevere! --
Lo! it breaks, the morning clear!
The cheerful cock awakes the skies,
The day is come -- arise! -- arise!





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