Anonymous

Oppression

Shall we for ever lick the dust 
	Or fear the tyrant’s boding frown, 
And cringing, pander to the lust 
	Of pamper’d minions of a crown?

Shall we for ever bear the scorn
	Of heartless wealth and fancied power? 
Bequeath to ages yet unborn
	Our abjectness—a galling dower?

Shall we for ever be the spoil
	Of greedy avarice? and brood 
O’er festering wrongs and thankless toil
	In calm and melancholy mood?

Shall we behold the festive halls,
	Where the loud laugh of revelry 
Echoes along the tinselled walls
	In mockery of our misery?

Shall we a blind submission pay
	To steel’d oppression’s ruthless reign? 
Quiescent sigh? and meekly pray
	Of death to end our rankling pain?

Forbid it, God! the dignity
	Of manhood must awaken’d be; 
Justice demands, and Liberty
	Proclaims we must and shall be free!

                                            D.C.