The writings of John Greenleaf Whittier, Volume 3.
John Greenleaf Whittier, Ed.

---

[265]
     Reading the words of Jesus,
Singing the songs of David.
     Behold!—the dumb lips speaking,
The blind eyes seeing!
     Bones of the Prophet's vision
Warmed into being!

Transformed he saw them passing
     Their new life's portal!
Almost it seemed the mortal
     Put on the immortal.
No more with the beasts of burden,
     No more with stone and clod,
But crowned with glory and honor
     In the image of God!

There was the human chattel
     Its manhood taking;
There, in each dark, bronze statue,
     A soul was waking!
The man of many battles,
     With tears his eyelids pressing,
Stretched over those dusky foreheads
     His one-armed blessing.

And he said: “Who hears can never
     Fear for or doubt you;
What shall I tell the children
     Up North about you?”
Then ran round a whisper, a murmur,
     Some answer devising;
And a little boy stood up: “General,
     Tell 'em we're rising!”