Is it come. Poem BY FRANCES BROWN. 1856

Bell’s Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer NSW
1 March 1856

Is it come
   BY FRANCES BROWN

Is it come they said on the banks of Nile,  
Who looked for the world's long-promised day,              
And saw but the strife of Egypt's toil
With the desert's sands and the granite gray.

From pyramid, temple, and treasured dead
We vainly ask for her wisdom's plan:
They tell of the slave and tyrants dread
Yet there was hope when that day began.

The Chaldee came with his starry lore.
That built up By Babylon's crown and creed ;
And bricks were stamped on the Tigris' shore
With signs which our sages scarce can read.

From Ninus' temple and Nimrod's tower
The rule of the old East empire spread.
Unreasoning faith and unquestioned power
But still, is it come? The watcher said.

The light of the Persian's worshipped flame
On ancient bondage its splendour threw,
And once on the West a sunrise came,
When Greece to her freedom's trust was true.

With dreams to the utmost ages dear,
With human gods and god-like men,
No marvel the far off day seemed near
To eyes that looked through her laurels then.

The Roman conquered and revelled, too,
Till honor and faith and power were gone:
And deeper old Europe's darkness grow
As, wave after wave, the Goth came on.

The gown was learning, the sword was law,
The people served in the oxen's stead;
But over some gleam the watcher saw
And evermore, Is it come? they said.

Poet and Seer that question caught
Above the din of life's fears and frets;
It marched with letters-it toiled with thought,
Through schools and creeds which the earth forgets;

And statesmen trifle, and priests deceive.
And traders barter our worlds away;
Yet hearts to that golden promise cleave.
And still, at times, Is it come? they say.

The days of the nations bear no trace
Of all the sunshine so far foretold;
The cannon speaks in the teacher's place
The age is weary with work and gold;

And high hopes wither and memories wane
On hearths and altars if the fire are dead;
But that brave faith hath not lived in vain:
And this is all that our watcher said.

More of Mrs Brown:-

Los Angeles Star 1856.
The following is the poem that attracted the Attention of the Marquis of Lansdowne. and induced him to make a present of one hundred pounds to the authoress, Mrs Frances Brown.—Edinburgh Ladies' Own.

LINK TO: Los Angeles Star 3 May 1856

History trail:- Frances Browne, “The Blind Poet of Ulster”

LINK TO MY INDEX.