ITALIA
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TALIA! thou art fallen, though with sheenOf battle-spears thy clamorous armies strideFrom the north Alps to the Sicilian tide!Ay! fallen, though the nations hail thee QueenBecause rich gold in every town is seen,And on thy sapphire-lake in tossing prideOf wind-filled vans thy myriad galleys rideBeneath one flag of red and white and green.O Fair and Strong! O Strong and Fair in vain!Look southward where Rome’s desecrated townLies mourning for her God-anointed King!Look heaven-ward! shall God allow this thing?Nay! but some flame-girt Raphael shall come down,And smite the Spoiler with the sword of pain.
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