There’s a gloomy line in the morning prints,
               Of our glorious nation;
Of sorrows and wrongs untold it hiuts,
               Dead of starvation!
Maidens and mothers, and infants frail,
               Born in many a station;
Men who bravely have laboured, doomed to fail,
               Dead of starvation!
The man of the world sees no shade of blame
               On his reputation,
"When he reads of a name he brought to shame,
               Dead of starvation!
With vainglory we hasten tho souls to feed,
               Of the heathen nation,
While our brothers and sisters, through guardians’ greed,
               Are dead of starvation!
If they ask for bread shall we give them a stone ?
               ’Tis the regulation;
Till the Board shall sit, till their case comes on,
               Till they’re doad of starvation!
Sad end to the victims of many an ill,
               Of lame legislation;
Ah! better had each one been born a “still,”
Church steeple and sexton's purse to fill),
               Than live to die of starvation!
Thou Giver of all that the mightiest hath,
               Great God of creation!
Remember not Thou in the day of Thy wrath.
               That our weak ones have died of starvation!

Bibliography

“Dead of Starvation.” Fun. (2 November 1864): 85. Source: Suzy Covey Comic Book Collection in the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida.


Last modified 19 February 2016