England’s heart! Oh never fear
The sturdy good old stock;
Nothing’s false or hollow here,
But solid as a rock:
England’s heart is sound enough,
And safe in its old place,
Honest, loyal, blithe, and bluff,
And open as her face!
England’s heart! With beating nerves
It rallies for the throne,–
And, with Luther, well preserves
The knee for God alone:
England’s heart is sound enough,
Unshaken and serene,
Like her oak-trees true and tough
And old,– but glad and green.
England’s heart! All Europe hurl’d
To ruin, strife, and dearth,
Sees yet one Zoar in the world,
The Goshen of the earth;
England’s heart is sound enough,–
And — though the skies be dark,
Though winds be loud, and waves be rough —
Safe, as Noah’s ark!
England’s heart, — ay, God be praised,
That thus, in patriot pride,
An English cheer can yet be raised
Above the stormy tide:
Safe enough, and sound enough,
It thrills the heart to feel
A man’s a bit of English stuff,
True from head to heel!
(Martin Farquhar Tupper)
More Poetry from Martin Farquhar Tupper:
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, God Poems, World Poems, Faces Poems, Place Poems, Pride Poems, England Poems, Honesty & Integrity Poems, English Poems, Loyalty PoemsBased on Keywords: goshen, oak-trees, zoar