HOLY WEEK AT GENOA
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WANDERED through Scoglietto’s far retreat,The oranges on each o’erhanging sprayBurned as bright lamps of gold to shame the day;Some startled bird with fluttering wings and fleetMade snow of all the blossoms; at my feetLike silver moons the pale narcissi lay:And the curved waves that streaked the great green bayLaughed i’ the sun, and life seemed very sweet.Outside the young boy-priest passed singing clear,‘Jesus the son of Mary has been slain,O come and fill His sepulchre with flowers.’Ah, God! Ah, God! those dear Hellenic hoursHad drowned all memory of Thy bitter pain,The Cross, the Crown, the Soldiers and the Spear. URBS SACRA ÆTERNA ROME! what a scroll of History thine has been;In the first days thy sword republicanRuled the whole world for many an age’s span:Then of the peoples wert thou royal Queen,Till in thy streets the bearded Goth was seen;And now upon thy walls the breezes fan(Ah, city crowned by God, discrowned by man!)The hated flag of red and white and green.When was thy glory! when in search for powerThine eagles flew to greet the double sun,And the wild nations shuddered at thy rod?Nay, but thy glory tarried for this hour,When pilgrims kneel before the Holy One,The prisoned shepherd of the Church of God.MONTRE MARIO
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