DOST thou see on the rampart’s height | |
| That wreath of mist, in the light | |
| Of the midnight moon? Oh, hist! | |
| It is not a wreath of mist; | |
| It is the Czar, the White Czar, | 5 |
| Batyushka! Gosudar! | |
| |
| He has heard, among the dead, | |
| The artillery roll o’erhead; | |
| The drums and the tramp of feet | |
| Of his soldiery in the street; | 10 |
| He is awake! the White Czar, | |
| Batyushka! Gosudar! | |
| |
| He has heard in the grave the cries | |
| Of his people: “Awake! arise!” | |
| He has rent the gold brocade | 15 |
| Whereof his shroud was made; | |
| He is risen! the White Czar, | |
| Batyushka! Gosudar! | |
| |
| From the Volga and the Don | |
| He has led his armies on, | 20 |
| Over river and morass, | |
| Over desert and mountain pass; | |
| The Czar, the Orthodox Czar, | |
| Batyushka! Gosudar! | |
| |
| He looks from the mountain-chain | 25 |
| Toward the seas, that cleave in twain | |
| The continents; his hand | |
| Points southward o’er the land | |
| Of Roumili! O Czar, | |
| Batyushka! Gosudar! | 30 |
| |
| And the words break from his lips: | |
| “I am the builder of ships, | |
| And my ships shall sail these seas | |
| To the Pillars of Hercules! | |
| I say it; the White Czar, | 35 |
| Batyushka! Gosudar! | |
| |
| “The Bosphorus shall be free; | |
| It shall make room for me; | |
| And the gates of its water-streets | |
| Be unbarred before my fleets. | 40 |
| I say it; the White Czar, | |
| Batyushka! Gosudar! | |
| |
| “And the Christian shall no more | |
| Be crushed, as heretofore, | |
| Beneath thine iron rule, | 45 |
| O Sultan of Istamboul! | |
| I swear it! I the Czar, | |
| Batyushka! Gosudar!” | |
| |
