Denial-is the only fact 1
Perceived by the Denied-
Whose Will-a numb significance-
The Day the Heaven died-
And all the Earth strove common round-5
Without Delight, or Beam-
What Comfort was it Wisdom-was-
The spoiler of Our Home?
Perceived by the Denied-
Whose Will-a numb significance-
The Day the Heaven died-
And all the Earth strove common round-5
Without Delight, or Beam-
What Comfort was it Wisdom-was-
The spoiler of Our Home?
(F.826/J.965)
[1] Denial:: the human right being denied.
[2] the Denied:: slaves, hinted by line three and five.
[3] Whose Will a numb:: slaves whose wills are suppressed.
[4] Heaven died:: the happy land (America) died of slavery.
[5] round:: the vault of heaven (OED 1c). all the Earth, common round:: all creatures in this land fight for their rights under the common sky.
[6] Without Delight:: slaves in this land are unhappy.
[7] Comfort was it:: comfort of the slavery.
[8] Our Home:: the United States. The spoiler:: this poem was written around 1864, and Civil War was spoiling the country.
Whereas, slavery, or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, is a violation of the inherent and inalienable rights of men, a crime against justice and humanity, a disturber of the Union and of domestic tranquility, a hindrance to the common defence, a spoiler of the public liberties, has inaugurated civil war, and is the cause of our national calamities; ─ Miscellaneous Documents of the House of Representatives (1865)