Elizabeth Barrett Browning - An August Voice lyrics

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
 I made the treaty upon it
Just venture a quiet rebuke
 Dall’ Ongaro write him a sonnet
Ricasoli gently explain
 Some need of the constitution:
He’ll swear to it over again
 Providing an "easy solution"
You’ll call back the Grand-duke

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
 I promised the Emperor Francis
To argue the case by his book
 And ask you to meet his advances
The Ducal cause, we know
  (Whether you or he be the wronger)
Has very strong points although
 Your bayonets, there, have stronger
You’ll call back the Grand-duke

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?


 He is not pure altogether
For instance, the oath which he took
  (In the Forty-eight rough weather)
He’d "nail your flag to his mast, "
 Then softly scuttled the boat you
Hoped to escape in at last
 And both by a "Proprio motu"
You’ll call back the Grand-duke

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
 The scheme meets nothing to shock it
In this smart letter, look
 We found in Radetsky’s pocket
Where his Highness in sprightly style
 Of the flower of his Tuscans wrote
"These heads be the hottest in file
 Pray shoot them the quickest" Quote
And call back the Grand-duke

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
 There are some things to object to
He cheated, betrayed, and forsook
 Then called in the foe to protect you
He taxed you for wines and for meats
 Throughout that eight years’ pastime
Of Austria’s drum in your streets
 Of course you remember the last time
You called back your Grand-duke?

You’ll take back the Grand-duke?
 It is not race he is poor in
Although he never could brook
 The patriot cousin at Turin
His love of kin you discern
 By his hate of your flag and me
So decidedly apt to turn
 All colours at the sight of the Three
You’ll call back the Grand-duke

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
 ’T was weak that he fled from the Pitti
But consider how little he shook
 At thought of bombarding your city!
And, balancing that with this
 The Christian rule is plain for us
Or the Holy Father’s Swiss
 Have shot his Perugians in vain for us
You’ll call back the Grand-duke

Pray take back your Grand-duke
  I, too, have suffered persuasion
All Europe, raven and rook
 Screeched at me armed for your nation
Your cause in my heart struck spurs
 I swept such warnings aside for you:
My very child’s eyes, and Hers
 Grew like my brother’s who died for you
You’ll call back the Grand-duke?

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
 My French fought nobly with reason
Left many a Lombardy nook
 Red as with wine out of season
Little we grudged what was done there
 Paid freely your ransom of blood:
Our heroes stark in the sun there
 We would not recall if we could
You’ll call back the Grand-duke?

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
 His son rode fast as he got off
That day on the enemy’s hook
 When I had an epaulette shot off
Though splashed (as I saw him afar no
 Near) by those ghastly rains
The mark, when you’ve washed him in Arno
 Will scarcely be larger than Cain’s
You’ll call back the Grand-duke?

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
 ’T will be so simple, quite beautiful:
The shepherd recovers his crook
  if you should be sheep, and dutiful
I spoke a word worth chalking
 On Milan’s wall but stay
Here’s Poniatowsky talking
 You’ll listen to him to day
And call back the Grand-duke

You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
 Observe, there’s no one to force it
Unless the Madonna, Saint Luke
 Drew for you, choose to endorse it
I charge you, by great Saint Martino
 And prodigies quickened by wrong
Remember your Dead on Ticino
 Be worthy, be constant, be strong
Bah! call back the Grand-duke!