British Freedom

by William Wordsworth

British Freedom

It is not to be thought of that the Flood 

Of British freedom, which, to the open sea

Of the world's praise, from dark antiquity

Hath flowed, 'with pomp of waters, unwithstood,'

Roused though it be full often to a mood

Which spurns the check of salutary bands,

That this most famous Stream in bogs and sands

Should perish; and to evil and to good

Be lost for ever. In our halls is hung

Armoury of the invincible Knights of old:

We must be free or die, who speak the tongue

That Shakespeare spake; the faith and morals hold

Which Milton held.-In every thing we are sprung

Of Earth's first blood, have titles manifold. 

To The Daisy 

BRIGHT Flower! whose home is everywhere,

Bold in maternal Nature's care,

And all the long year through the heir

Of joy or sorrow;

Methinks that there abides in thee

Some concord with humanity,

Given to no other flower I see

The forest thorough!

Is it that Man is soon deprest?

A thoughtless Thing! who, once unblest,

Does little on his memory rest,

Or on his reason,

And Thou would'st teach him how to find

A shelter under every wind,

A hope for times that are unkind

And every season?

Thou wander'st the wide world about,

Uncheck'd by pride or scrupulous doubt,

With friend to greet thee, or without,

Yet pleased and willing;

Meek, yielding to the occasion's call,

And all things suffering from all,

Thy function apostolical

In peace fulfilling. 

Spanish Guerillas 

THEY seek, are sought; to daily battle led,

Shrink not, though far outnumbered by their Foes,

For they have learnt to open and to close

The ridges of grim war; and at their head

Are captains such as erst their country bred

Or fostered, self-supported chiefs,--like those

Whom hardy Rome was fearful to oppose;

Whose desperate shock the Carthaginian fled.

In One who lived unknown a shepherd's life

Redoubted Viriatus breathes again; 

And Mina, nourished in the studious shade,

With that great Leader vies, who, sick of strife

And bloodshed, longed in quiet to be laid

In some green island of the western main.