Roma

From the Italian by Frank Sewall From “Poesie” GIVE to the wind thy locks; all glittering Thy sea-blue eyes, and thy white bosom bared, Mount to thy chariot, while in speechless roaring Terror and Force before thee clear the way! The shadow of thy helmet, like the flashing Of brazen star, strikes through the trembling air. The dust of broken empires, cloud-like rising, Follows the awful rumbling of thy wheels. So once, O Rome, beheld the conquered nations Thy image, object of their ancient dread. To-day a mitre they would place upon Thy head, and fold a rosary between Thy hands. O name! again to terrors old Awake the tired ages and the world!