THE EAGLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 298, 26 May 1915, Page 6

THE EAGLE.

'■i: had a dream Hint was not all a dream." —'Byron. J .saw as in a mystic dream, A vision of the vast round world; Jler armies, one unending stream, .Mtirelied past with wind-blown llsi"* unfurled; Their numbers, which no mortal knew, Hid all the trembling land from view, And o'erhead arched the voiceless blue. ' Tlio' jjorgi*ons .still, this pageant seemed j A thin# foredoomed to pain and death. | A grey light on its armor gleamed, j The' heavens seemed scant of air for i breath; _ | Portending that mighty eioud Would rise, and Nature's Jaet enshroud, While thunder's voice nmeil deep juul ■Wild. It passed, and. cities rose 1 to view, Where Architecture showed her art,. In dome and spire against the blue, In palace, chaste. in street and mart, And mills anil factories were there, Where Labor toiled, all unaware Of coining sorrow and despair. 'Neath Agriculture's peaceful sway Slept fields of ripened wheat ami corn; Music was heard at close of day. The reaper's whistle, ushered morn. The skylark form his azure sphere Trilled gurgling rivulets sweet and clear, Rapt peans to the passing year. Then tlin great deep to view did rise, Its azure bosom dotted o'er With ships, which carried merchandise 'Neath steam and sail, from shore to shore. The fleets of war were also there, flow calm they looked! lint ill the air A small voice seemed to breathe, "lieware !" A vast arena next I saw Tilled with an army great and strong. Which scorned all honor, truth and law, Which hated Right and worshipped wrong. A pirate horde, whose backward track By sword and fire made red and black, Already told of death and sack. Upon the west a Lion lay, Mighty, but seemingly asleep; And from the east a "Bear, grown grey, Powerful and huge, did slowly creep Toward the carnival of war Which was directed from afar By one 'lieatli a malignant star. Then from the heavens ther dropt what seemed A cloud, but was one Eagle vast; .With hate his flaming eyeballs gleamed, And soim his talons wore made fast Deep in the Lion and the Bear, And with his beak he strove'to tear The Lilies which were blooming there. Great hosts of war had come by nov To oppose the first, and then began A strife, whose grim results Hie plough In years to oome will show to man A fray so horrible anil dread, Men thought that light and love had fled. And hell anil hate reigned in their stead. The Lion, the Lillies and the Dear At last, when lleil had many a day, That Eagle vile; in twain did tear, Themselves sore, wounded in the fray; Thus that great bird, which hoped to soar O'er all the world, its visions o'er, Shall now "renew its youth" no more. This much, and more", I saw, because One man aspired to rule the world; Anil since he scorned her written laws, He shortly shall be hell ward hurled. The nations have decreed, it so, Anil to the lowest depths of woe He and his Prussian friends shall go. —CHAS. 'B. JOHNSON. Hawera.