RESTORED ALLEGIANCE

By William Watson

Dark is thy trespass, deep be thy remorse,

O England! Fittingly thine own feet bleed,

Submissive to the purblind guides that lead

Thy weary steps along this rugged course.

Yet... when I glance abroad, and track the source

More selfish far, of other nations’ deed,

And mark their tortuous craft, their jealous greed,

Their serpent-wisdom or mere soulless force,

Homeward returns my vagrant fealty,

Crying, “O England, shouldst thou one day fall,

Shatter'd in ruins by some Titan foe,

Justice were thenceforth weaker throughout all

The world, and Truth less passionately free,

And God the poorer for thine overthrow.”