From him did forty million serfs, endow’d

Each with six feet of death-due soil, receive

Rich freeborn lifelong land, whereon to sheave

Their country’s harvest. These to-day aloud

Demand of Heaven a Father’s blood, — sore bow’d

With tears and thrilled with wrath; who, while they grieve,

On every guilty head would fain achieve

All torment by his edicts disallow’d.

He stayed the knout’s red-ravening fangs; and first

Of Russian traitors, his own murderers go

White to the tomb. While he, — laid foully low

With limbs red-rent, with festering brain which erst

Willed kingly freedom, — ‘gainst the deed accurst

To God bears witness of his people’s woe.