text:  Frantic and blind with thunder-knell Exploding from its shattered home And glaring forth as from a hell Behold the red Destruction come! When rages strength that has no reason _There_ breaks the mould before the season; When numbers burst what bound before Woe to the State that thrives no more! Yea woe when in the City's heart The latent spark to flame is blown; And Millions from their silence start To claim without a guide their own! Discordant howls the warning Bell Proclaiming discord wide and far And born but things of peace to tell Becomes the ghastliest voice of war: "Freedom! Equality!"--to blood Rush the roused people at the sound! Through street hall palace roars the flood And banded murder closes round! The hyaena-shapes that women were! Jest with the horrors they survey; They hound--they rend--they mangle there-- As panthers with their prey! Nought rests to hallow--burst the ties Of life's sublime and reverent awe; Before the Vice the Virtue flies And Universal Crime is Law! Man fears the lion's kingly tread; Man fears the tiger's fangs of terror; And still the dreadliest of the dread Is Man himself in error! No torch though lit from Heaven illumes The Blind!--Why place it in his hand? It lights not him--it but consumes The City and the Land! * * * * * Rejoice and laud the prospering skies! The kernel bursts its husk--behold From the dull clay the metal rise Clear shining as a star of gold! Neck and lip but as one beam It laughs like a sun-beam