| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| The Poem of the Universe |
| | | Charles Weldon (18—–56) |
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| THE POEM of the Universe | |
| Nor rhythm has nor rhyme; | |
| Some God recites the wondrous song | |
| A stanza at a time. | |
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| Great deeds is he foredoom’d to do, | 5 |
| With Freedom’s flag unfurl’d, | |
| Who hears the echo of that song | |
| As it goes down the world. | |
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| Great words he is compell’d to speak | |
| Who understands the song; | 10 |
| He rises up like fifty men, | |
| Fifty good men and strong. | |
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| A stanza for each century: | |
| Now heed it, all who can! | |
| Who hears it, he, and only he, | 15 |
| Is the elected man. | |
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