Placido: A Cuban Martyr

"Oh Liberty, What crimes areCommitted in thine name."—Madame Roland

Almighty God! whose goodness knows no bound,To Thee I flee in my severe distress;O let thy potent arm my wrongs redress,And rend the odious veil by slander woundAbout my brow. The base world's arm confound,Who on my front would now the seal of shame impress.

God of my sires, to whom all kings must yield,Be thou alone my shield, protect me now.All power is His, to whom the sea doth oweHis countless stores; who clothed with light heaven's field,And made the Sun, and air, and polar seas congeal'd;All plants with life endow'd, and made the rivers flow.

All power is thine, 't was thy creative mightThis godly frame of things from chaos brought,Which unsustain'd by Thee would still be naught;As erst it lay deep in the womb of night,Ere thy dread word first called it into light;Obedient to Thy call it lived, and moved and thought.

Thou know'st my heart, O God, supremely wise,Thine eye, all-seeing, cannot be deceived;By Thee my inmost soul is clear perceived,As objects gross are through transparent skiesBy mortal ken. Thy mercy exercise,'Lest slander foul exult o'er innocence aggrieved.

But if 't fixed by the decree divine,That I must bear the pain of guilt and shame,And that my foes this cold and senseless frameShall rudely treat with scorn and shouts malign;Give thou the word, and I my breath resignObedient to thy will; blest be thy holy name.