Australia Infelix

William Gay 1865 (Scotland) – 1897



HOW long, O Lord, shall this, my country, be  
 A nation of the dead? How long shall they  
Who seek their own and live but for the day,  
My country hinder from her destiny?  
Around me, Lord, I seem again to see          
That ancient valley where the dry bones lay,  
And ’tis in vain that long I wait and pray  
To see them rise to men resolved and free.  
Yet sure, O Lord, upon this land of death  
At last Thy Spirit will descend with power;          
And Thou wilt kindle patriots with Thy breath,  
Who, venturing all to win their country’s good,  
Shall toil and suffer for the sacred hour  
That brings the fullness of her nationhood.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

35 sec read
72

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBAABBACDCEDE
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 644
Words 119
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

William Gay

William Gay (2 May 1865 – 22 December 1897) was a Scottish-born Australian poet. more…

All William Gay poems | William Gay Books

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