Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
America: Vols. XXV–XXIX. 1876–79.
England to America
By William James Linton (1812–1897)A
Too long for memory of the justest feud!
Last century’s quarrel to its end pursued
And yours the triumph, may not we grasp hands,
Now each one stands
Apart from fears?
Brothers! that word
Makes Tyranny weak; Wrong flies, nor looks behind,
Driven as dry leaves before the herald wind
That clears the way for spring’s most gentle flowers.
O waiting hours!
Your plaint is heard.
Our best have hailed the promise of thy growth;
Surely hath honor’s race-ground room for both
America and England, side by side,
Yet leaving pride
Sufficient scope.
Art thou, as England’s thine: thy children own
The common parentage. Nor they alone,
But wheresoe’er is heard our English tongue—
World-widely flung
For coming hours.
Thou greater England! second but in time:
Our age shall welcome our young giant’s prime,
As in his sons a father takes delight,
Proud of the height
Of younger men.
Step past the extremest stretch of our renown!
Wreathe round Columbia’s head the laurel crown
Our old heroic worth can well assign!
The crown be thine—
In England’s name!
In race, in will, in energy the same:
Twin aspirations of one-tonguéd flame.
England were fain to see you climb beyond
Our hopes most fond,
And all we have done.