Glorifying terrorism, part 3

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

To Toussaint L'Ouverture

Toussaint, the most unhappy Man of Men!
Whether the rural Milk-maid by her Cow
Sing in thy hearing, or thou liest now
Alone in some deep dungeon's earless den,
O miserable chieftain! where and when
Wilt thou find patience? Yet die not; do thou
Wear rather in thy bonds a chearful brow:
Though fallen Thyself, never to rise again,
Live, and take comfort. Thou hast left behind
Powers that will work for thee; air, earth, and skies;
There's not a breathing of the common wind
That will forget thee; thou hast great allies;
Thy friends are exultations, agonies,
And love, and Man's unconquerable mind.

William Wordsworth (1770–1850)

'Composed probably August, 1802'

Thanks to Project Gutenberg for the text. One of these days I must get myself a decent edition of Wordsworth. My copy only has the revised texts of the poems — and his first thoughts were often better than his later ones.

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