Achingforanhour’ssleep，dozingoffbetween；
’Heardtherottenrivetsdrawwhenshetookitgreen；
’Watchedthecompasschaseitstaillikeacatatplay——
Thatwasonthe-Bolivar-，southacrosstheBay。
Oncewesawbetweenthesqualls，lyin’headtoswell——
Madwithworkandweariness，wishin’theywaswe——
SomedamnedLiner’slightsgobylikealonghotel；
Cheeredherfromthe-Bolivar-swampin’inthesea。
Thenagraybackclearedusout，thentheskipperlaughed；
“Boys，thewheelhasgonetoHell——rigthewinchesaft！
Yokethekickingrudder-head——getherunderway！”
Sowesteeredher，pulley-haul，outacrosstheBay！
Justapacko’rottenplatesputtiedupwithtar，Inwecame，an’timeenough，’crossBilbaoBar。
Overloaded，undermanned，meanttofounder，weEuchredGodAlmighty’sstorm，bluffedtheEternalSea！
Sevenmenfromalltheworld，backtotownagain，Rollin’downtheRatcliffeRoaddrunkandraisingCain：
SevenmenfromoutofHellAin’ttheownersgay，’Causewetookthe“Bolivar“safeacrosstheBay？
THEENGLISHFLAG
Abovetheporticoaflag-staff，bearingtheUnionJack，remainedflutteringintheflamesforsometime，butultimatelywhenitfellthecrowdsrenttheairwithshouts，andseemedtoseesignificanceintheincident——DAILY
PAPERS。
WindsoftheWorld，giveanswer！Theyarewhimperingtoandfro——
AndwhatshouldtheyknowofEnglandwhoonlyEnglandknow？——
Thepoorlittlestreet-bredpeoplethatvapourandfumeandbrag，TheyareliftingtheirheadsinthestillnesstoyelpattheEnglishFlag！
MustweborrowacloutfromtheBoer——toplasteranewwithdirt？
AnIrishliar’sbandage，oranEnglishcoward’sshirt？
WemaynotspeakofEngland；herFlag’stosellorshare。
WhatistheFlagofEngland？WindsoftheWorld，declare！
TheNorthWindblew：——“FromBergenmysteel-shodvanguardsgo；
IchaseyourlazywhalershomefromtheDiskofloe；
BythegreatNorthLightsabovemeIworkthewillofGod，Andthelinersplitsontheice-fieldortheDoggerfillswithcod。
“Ibarredmygateswithiron，Ishutteredmydoorswithflame，Becausetoforcemyrampartsyournutshellnaviescame；
Itookthesunfromtheirpresence，Icutthemdownwithmyblast，Andtheydied，buttheFlagofEnglandblewfreeerethespiritpassed。
“Theleanwhitebearhathseenitinthelong，longArcticnight，Themusk-oxknowsthestandardthatfloutstheNorthernLight：
WhatistheFlagofEngland？Yehavebutmybergstodare，YehavebutmydriftstoconquerGoforth，foritisthere！”
TheSouthWindsighed：——“FromtheVirginsmymid-seacoursewasta’enOverathousandislandslostinanidlemain，Wherethesea-eggflamesonthecoralandthelong-backedbreakerscroonTheirendlessoceanlegendstothelazy，lockedlagoon。
“Strayedamidlonelyislets，mazedamidouterkeys，Iwakedthepalmstolaughter——Itossedthescudinthebreeze——
Neverwasislesolittle，neverwasseasolone，Butoverthescudandthepalm-treesanEnglishflagwasflown。
“IhavewrencheditfreefromthehalliardtohangforawispontheHorn；
IhavechaseditnorthtotheLizard——ribbonedandrolledandtorn；
Ihavespreaditsfoldo’erthedying，adriftinahopelesssea；
Ihavehurleditswiftontheslaver，andseentheslavesetfree。
“Mybaskingsunfishknowit，andwheelingalbatross，WherethelonewavefillswithfirebeneaththeSouthernCross。
WhatistheFlagofEngland？Yehavebutmyreefstodare，YehavebutmyseastofurrowGoforth，foritisthere！”
TheEastWindroared：——“FromtheKuriles，theBitterSeas，I
come，AndmemencalltheHome-Wind，forIbringtheEnglishhome。
Look——lookwelltoyourshipping！BythebreathofmymadtyphoonIsweptyourclose-packedPrayaandbeachedyourbestatKowloon！
“Thereelingjunksbehindmeandtheracingseasbefore，Irapedyourrichestroadstead——IplunderedSingapore！
IsetmyhandontheHoogli；asahoodedsnakesherose，AndIflungyourstouteststeamerstoroostwiththestartledcrows。
“Neverthelotuscloses，neverthewild-fowlwake，ButasoulgoesoutontheEastWindthatdiedforEngland’ssake——
Manorwomanorsuckling，motherorbrideormaid——
BecauseonthebonesoftheEnglishtheEnglishFlagisstayed。
“Thedesert-dusthathdimmedit，theflyingwild-assknows，Thescaredwhiteleopardwindsitacrossthetaintlesssnows。
WhatistheFlagofEngland？Yehavebutmysuntodare，YehavebutmysandstotravelGoforth，foritisthere！”
TheWestWindcalled：——“InsquadronsthethoughtlessgalleonsflyThatbearthewheatandcattleleststreet-bredpeopledie。
Theymakemymighttheirporter，theymakemyhousetheirpath，TillIloosemyneckfromtheirrudderandwhelmthemallinmywrath。
“Idrawtheglidingfog-bankasasnakeisdrawnfromthehole，Theybellowonetotheother，thefrightedship-bellstoll，FordayisadriftingterrortillIraisetheshroudwithmybreath，Andtheyseestrangebowsabovethemandthetwogolockedtodeath。
“Butwhetherincalmorwrack-wreath，whetherbydarkorday，Iheavethemwholetothecongerorriptheirplatesaway，Firstofthescatteredlegions，underashriekingsky，Dippingbetweentherollers，theEnglishFlaggoesby。
“Thedeaddumbfoghathwrappedit——thefrozendewshavekissed——
Thenakedstarshaveseenit，afellow-starinthemist。
WhatistheFlagofEngland？Yehavebutmybreathtodare，YehavebutmywavestoconquerGoforth，foritisthere！”
“CLEARED“
InMemoryofaCommission
HELPforapatriotdistressed，aspotlessspiritburt，Helpforanhonorableclansoretrampledinthedirt！
FromQueenstownBaytoDonegal，Olistentomysong，Thehonorablegentlemenhavesufferedgrievouswrong。
Theirnoblenameswerementioned-
Otheburningblackdisgrace！-
ByabrutalSaxonpaperinanIrishshooting-case；
Theysatuponitforayear，thensteeledtheirhearttobraveit，And“coruscatinginnocence“thelearnedJudgesgaveit。
Bearwitness，Heaven，ofthatgrimcrimebeneaththesurgeon’sknife，Thehonorablegentlemendeploredthelossoflife；
Bearwitnessofthosechantingchoirsthatburkandshirkandsnigger，Nomanlaidhandupontheknifeorfingertothetrigger！
Clearedinthefaceofallmankindbeneaththewinkingskies，LikephoenixesfromPhoenixParkandwhatlaytheretheyrise！
Goshoutittotheemeraldseas-givewordtoErinnow，Herhonorablegentlemenarecleared-andthisishow：
TheyonlypaidtheMoonlighterhiscattle-hockingprice，Theyonlyhelpedthemurdererwithcouncil’sbestadvice，But-sureitkeepstheirhonorwhite-thelearnedCourtbelievesTheynevergaveapieceofplatetomurderersandthieves。
Theyevertoldtherampingcrowdtocardawoman’shide，Theynevermarkedamanfordeath-whatfaultoftheirshedied？-
Theyonlysaid“intimidate。”andtalkedandwentaway-
ByGod，theboysthatdidtheworkwerebravermenthanthey！
Theirsinitwasthatfedthefire-smallblametothemthatheardThe“bhoys“getdrunkonrhetoric，andmaddenattheword-
Theyknewwhomtheyweretalkingat，iftheywereIrishtoo，ThegentlementhatliedinCourttheyknewandwellthevknew。
TheyonlytooktheJudas-goldfromFeniansoutofjail，Theyonlyfawnedfordollarsontheblood-dyedClan-na-Gael。
Ifblackisblackorwhiteiswhite，illblackandwhiteit’sdown，Tbey’reonlytraitorstotheQueenandrebelstotheCrown。
“Cleared。”honorablegentlemenBethankfulit’snomore：
Thewidow’scurseisonyourhouse，thedeadareatyourdoor。
Dnyoutheshameofopenshame，onyoufromNorthtoSouthThebandofeveryhonestmanflat-heeledacrossyourmouth。
“Lessblackthanwewerepainted“？-Faith，nowordofblackwassaid；
Ihelightesttouchwashumanblood，andthat，yeknow，runsred。
It’sstickingtoyourfistto-dayforallyoursneerandscoff，AndbytheJudge’swell-weighedwordyoucannotwipeitoff。
Holdupthosehandsofinnocence-go，scareyoursheep，together，Theblundering，trippingtupsthatbleatbehindtheoldbell-weather；
Andiftheysnuffthetaintandbreaktofindanotherpen，Tellthemit’starthatglistensso，anddaubthemyoursagain！
“Thechargeisold“？-AsoldasCain-asfreshasyesterday；
OldastheTenCommandments，haveyetalkedthoselawsaway？
Ifwordsarewords，ordeathisdeath，orpowdersendstheball，Youspokethewordsthatspedtheshot-thecursebeonyouall。
“Ourfriendsbelieve“？Ofcoursetheydo-asshelteredwomenmay；
Buthavetheyseentheshriekingsoulrippedfromthequiveringclay？
TheyI-Iftheirownfrontdoorisshut，they’llswearthewholeworld’swarm；
Whatdotheyknowofdreadofdeathorhangingfearofharm？
Thesecrethalfacountrykeeps，thewhisperinthelane，Theshriekthattellstheshotwenthomebehindthebrokenpane，Thedrybloodcrispinginthesunthatscaresthehonestbees，Andshowsthe“bhoys“haveheardyourtalk-whatdotheyknowofthese？
Butyou-youknow-ay，tentimesmore；thesecretsofthedead，Blackterroronthecountry-sidebywordandwhisperbred，Themangledstallion’sscreamatnight，thetail-croppedheifer’slow。
Whosetthewhispergoingfirst？Youknow，andwellyouknow！
Mysoul！I’dsoonerlieinjailformurderplainandstraight，PurecrimeI’ddonewithmyownhandformoney，lust，orhate，ThantakeaseatinParliamentbyfellow-felonscheered，Whileoneofthose“notprovens“provedmeclearedasyouarecleared。
Cleared-youthat“lost“theLeagueaccounts-go，guardourhonorstill，Go，helptomakeourcountry’slawsthatbrokeGod’slawsatwill-
Onebandstuckoutbehindtheback，tosignal“strikeagain“；
Theotheronyourdress-shirtfronttoshowyourheartisdane，Ifblackisblackorwhiteiswhite，inblackandwhiteit’sdown，You’reonlytraitorstotheQueenandbutrebelstotheCrownIfprintisprintorwordsarewords，thelearnedCourtperpends：
Wearenotruledbymurderers，only-bytheirfriends，ANIMPERIALRESCRIPT
NowthisisthetaleoftheCounciltheGermanKaiserdecreed，Toeasethestrongoftheirburden，tohelptheweakintheirneed，Hesentawordtothepeoples，whostruggle，andpant，andsweat，Thatthestrawmightbecountedfairlyandthetallyofbricksbeset。
TheLordsofTheirHandsassembled；fromtheEastandtheWesttheydrew——
Baltimore，Lille，andEssen，Brummagem，Clyde，andCrewe。
Andsomewereblackfromthefurnace，andsomewerebrownfromthesoil，Andsomewerebluefromthedye-vat；butallwereweariedoftoil。
AndtheyoungKingsaid：——“Ihavefoundit，theroadtotherestyeseek：
Thestrongshallwaitfortheweary，thehaleshallhaltfortheweak；
Withtheeventrampofanarmywherenomanbreaksfromtheline，Yeshallmarchtopeaceandplentyinthebondofbrotherhood——
sign！”
Thepaperlayonthetable，thestrongheadsbowedthereby，Andawailwentupfromthepeoples：——“Ay，sign——giverest，forwedie！”
Ahandwasstretchedtothegoose-quill，afistwascrampedtoscrawl，When——thelaughofablue-eyedmaidenranclearthroughthecouncil-hall。
AndeachoneheardHerlaughingaseachonesawHerplain——
Saidie，Mimi，orOlga，Gretchen，orMaryJane。
AndtheSpiritofManthatisinHimtothelightofthevisionwoke；
Andthemendrewbackfromthepaper，asaYankeedelegatespoke：——
“There’sagirlinJerseyCitywhoworksonthetelephone；
We’regoingtohitchourhorsesanddigforahouseofourown，Withgasandwaterconnections，andsteam-heatthroughtothetop；
And，WHohenzollern，IguessIshallworktillIdrop。”
AndanEnglishdelegatethundered：——“Theweakan’thelamebeblowed！
I’veaberthintheSou’-Westworkshops，ahomeintheWandsworthRoad；
Andtillthe’sociationhasfootedmyburyin’bill，Iworkforthekidsan’themissusPullup？IbedamnedifIwill！”