To Cincinnati

                                        I.
So — thou hast bowed with vassal knee and neck, 
     To pander meanly to the tyrant's lust, 
     And, in thy degradation, licked the dust,
And flung away thy manhood, at their beck
Who rob the poor, and by oppression build 
     Their stately dwellings. Infamy and thou 
     Henceforth are wed, and on thy craven brow
Baseness is stamped — and shame and crime have filled 
     Thy cup of trembling to the brim! How soon, 
     How deeply fallen! Slave of slaves! — Poltroon! —
Sold to the South! — the negro-whipper's hound ! — 
     Such, henceforth be thy titles! — they are earned 
     By deeds for which thy memory shall be spurned.
While truth or justice upon earth are found!

                                        II.
“Queen City !" quotha ? Yes — thou art a queen —
     A prostitute for hire — self-sold to shame —
     Debased — defiled — polluted — till thy name 
Is but a synonym for all that's mean 
Or foul on earth, or false in deepest hell!
     The bloated South — thy master — gave the word,
     And thou didst crouch! — Oh, baseness most abhorred ! 
Oh, degradation without parallel!
How will thy sons' cheeks crimson when they hear
     The story of thy shame — and turn away 
To hide the blush, or dash the indignant tear
     From the hot eye ! — and execrate the day 
That saw thy honor, virtue, courage, sold 
To southern bullies for their stolen gold !