Armenia immolata

Copyright. 1896, by Edward S. Steele. Published by the author, 1522 Q Street, N. W., Washington, D. C.

HO YE! Ho ye! all Europe, ho! Ye Nations hear and patronize! Unequalled realistic show On the World stage we advertise! Our repertoire will render flat Your little operas and plays, Your wagers of the ball and bat, Your hunting rides, and all the craze Of wheel and sail on land and main— Yea, even tame the bulls of Spain! Revival ours of classic sports, Now with a brilliance to be seen Which, should it reach the heavenly courts, Would turn the eyes of Nero green! To-day comes forth the Turkish beast, Three days kept hungry in his den, On the Armenian slave to feast, Who meets him arm-ed with a pen! Sure we shall win your approbation,— There, France and Russia on the right— The cost not a consideration;— The Triple Friends shall have the sight Here from the left, and in the center Let Britain spread her cloth of gold! All in between ye small folk enter— America shall stand and scold! Now all right merrily shall chime. Ye knightly gentlemen, compose Your little quarrels for the time; Somewhat to reason each man owes, And to the general happiness; Your feuds shall suffer no abate For an altruistical recess. Now come ye all and come in state!
Forthwith the powers and dignities Proclaim a truce of God, and seek Through all their ancient treasuries A garb of pattern true antique. Not easy sits the classic mode Upon the tender modern frame, And some do chafe beneath their load, Some bear it with a look of shame. Soon over all the games prevail, Right well the beast doth play his part; So doth the martyr, too—each wail Sounds as it issued from the heart!
Meanwhile out of that inner heat That thrills anon the human kind And rends the cold, incrusting sheet Of stale traditions, lies enshrined, Accords of jealous interest, Hatreds of race, and bastard rights, And every influence unblest The bloom of human love that blights— Out of the soul’s hot inner cell Breaks forth implacable a curse, The curse of him who loveth well— Of all the curses none is worse.