Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Russia: Vol. XX. 1876–79.
The Conquest of Finland
By John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)A
The winds of autumn blow,
And the fen-lands of the Wetter
Are white with early snow.
Look o’er the Baltic brine,
A bark is sailing in the track
Of England’s battle-line.
For Bothnia’s fish and grain;
She saileth not for pleasure,
She saileth not for gain.
She drops her anchor down,
Where’er the British cannon
Rained fire on tower and town.
At the gate of Helsingfors:
“Why comes this ship a-spying
In the track of England’s wars?”
“God bless the ship, I say,
The holy angels trim the sails
That speed her on her way!
The peasant’s heart is glad;
Where’er she spreads her parting sail,
The peasant’s heart is sad.
She visits to restore;
To roof the shattered cabin,
And feed the starving poor.
The foraged beeves and grain,
The spoil of flake and storehouse,
The good ship brings again.
The sweet amend is made,
As if the healing hand of Christ
Upon her wounds were laid!”
“The will of God be done!
The battle lost by England’s hate
By England’s love is won!
That thundered on our shore;
But when did kindness fail to find
The key to Finland’s door?
Shall warning signal come,
Nor startled Sweaborg hear again
The roll of midnight drum.
The Dove of Peace shall rest;
And in the mouths of cannon
The sea-bird make her nest.
No coming foe shall scan;
And the holy bells of Abo
Shall ring ‘Good-will to man!’
In peace on lake and bay;
And thou, young maiden, dance again
Around the poles of May!
Old wives, in quiet spin;
Henceforth the Anglo-Saxon
Is the brother of the Finn!”