Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — To William E. Channing

The pages of thy book I read,         And as I closed each one, My heart, responding, ever said,         "Servant of God! well done!" Well done! Thy words are great and bold;         At times they seem to me, Like Luther's, in the days of old,         Half-battles for the free. Go on, until this land revokes         The old and chartered Lie, The feudal curse, whose whips and yokes         Insult humanity. A voice is ever at thy side         Speaking in tones of might, Like the prophetic voice, that cried         To John in Patmos, "Write!" Write! and tell out this bloody tale;         Record this dire eclipse, This Day of Wrath, this Endless Wail,         This dread Apocalypse!