An Appeal On The Potatoe Famine Poem by Samuel Bamford

An Appeal On The Potatoe Famine



Sons of England, noble England, listen to my verse awhile;
We that once were deemed happy, now have little cause to smile;
We that once were deemed happy, whether rich or honest poor,
Hear the ghastly famine howling, and the wolf is at the door.

Sons of England, noble England, Scotia tells a woeful tale;
And from all the land of Erin, comes a moan upon the gale;
Out of billow-seated Erin, wakes a wild and fearful cry,
'Noble sons of noble England, we of hunger faint and die.

'We have thousands here in England, honest men of humble state;
'Who, in more than human labour, yield to nothing less than fate;
'Scotia too, is fellow worker, on the loom and at the plough;
'And had Erin striven wisely, she had not been foodless now.

'But the past be all forgotten, what is present let us mend;
'Heaven sends a timely warning, and 'twere well if we attend;'
Down to Scotland, o'er to Erin, throw your gold as free as dew
But whilst you are true to others, to your Saxon poor be true.

True to those who labour daily, in the mine and in the mill;
To the hardy peasant braving, Summer's heat, and Winter's chill;
To the worker at the anvil, and the hewer of the stone;
And the pale one, weaving, when the stars have left him all alone.

True to head, for ever thoughtful, hearts all honest to the core;
Ne'er in difficulties doubtful, resting not till labour's o'er;
Down to Scotland, o'er to Erin, freely cast your sunny gowd;
But whilst you are thus endowing, know by whom you are endow'd.

Sons of England, noble England, be you bountiful but just;
Wiser rule for wildered Erin, want we do, and have we must;
Meet her plaining with your plenty, until better days are seen;
Place her burden then, and leave it, where it ever should have been.

Sons of England, Saxon England, now let vile traducers quail;
Ye have never shrunk in danger, and in duty will not fail.
And altho' in shadows frowning, lightsome day hath sadly set,
There's a Sun behind the glooming, that will shine upon us yet.

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