Bondage

“and this is freedom!” cried the serf; “At last I tread free soil, the free air blows on me;” And, wild to learn the sweets of liberty, With eager hope his bosom bounded fast. But not for naught had the long years amassed Habit of slavery; among the free He still was servile, and, disheartened, he Crept back to the old bondage of the past. Long did I bear a hard and heavy chain Wreathëd with amaranth and asphodel, But through the flower-breaths stole the weary pain. I cast it off and fled, but ’t was in vain; For when once more I passed by where it fell, I took it up and bound it on again.