let the power fall on i

all rules when we dislike them turn out hard
decrees that bite our feet we do abhor
almost as much as if we had been scarred
by angry tiger springing from the floor
striking each face then heading for the door
and sprinting thence into the shielding rain
leaving us all to think of luck and pain
and happy not to think of might-have-been
yet not willing raging impulse to rein
since sorrow seems much better than chagrin

against our sort the armies stand on guard
the agencies of a superior law
keeping the gate of freedom locked and barred
and every ship most firmly tied ashore
the watchmen stationed upon every tor
will not let any of us flee again
no matter the safe guises we might feign
for help to us is certified as sin
and only the divine can govern plain
since sorrow seems much better than chagrin

change and disaster they hope to retard
all of our actions they will swift deplore
and any subtlety they'll soon discard
lest by some means we equity restore
theirs is the love of flowing blood and gore
the tyrant's measure and the butcher's gain
from every act of kindness they'll refrain
since all they need is to conquer and win
and not at all important is the stain
since sorrow seems much better than chagrin

prince you may hear the ever-rising strain
that tells of what should be the soldiers' bane
that all of us are brothers under skin
to hold the tide the armies strive in vain
as they hear thunder coming down the lane
since sorrow seems much better than chagrin