Never Weary

Never weary! Brothers, do not fail!
     Human hearts by human wrong 
     Crushed and trampled ages long.
     Now by crime involved in woe, 
          Now in helplessness of pain
     Bruised and torn by many a blow, 
          Under twisted scourge and chain, 
They are weary, dying in their wail!

Never weary! Freemen, keep the faith!
     He that in the coffle sinks, 
     Lifting up his blood-wet links, 
     In dread summons of the bolts
          That along the scarred heavens laugh—
     Steel at whose mute prayer revolts
          Venging fires in his behalf;
He is weary, weary unto death!

Never weary, ye who home-bliss know,
     She who sees her baby's smile
     Flutter for a little while, 
     To go out in blank despair 
          Under Slavery's iron heel,
     While in vain her curse and prayer 
          To the patient heavens appeal,—
She is weary, worn with utter woe!

Never weary, sorrow says be brave.
     Hearts that have dropped blood for years, 
     Eyes which drown that blood in tears, 
     Souls that darken, ray by ray, 
          In the settled scowl of wrong, 
     Till they fall to blank decay 
          Like a corse, immured so long:
They are weary, asking for the grave.

Never weary; work and conquer fate.
     Eve and morning sow your grain, 
     Noon and midnight sow again!
     Drive the ploughshare to the beam
          Through the foul and rugged sod,
     Till this thorny glebe shall seem 
          Like the Garden of our God!
If ye weary, Heaven itself shall wait.