ORIGINAL POETRY.
TARANAKI’S SOLILOQUY.
“ To be, or not to be ? that is the question.” Whether ’tis better to maintain this.war; With prompt aiid vigorous hand to crush This hateful cockatrice; to unfang the adder, Which, though long kindly cherish'd, has
turned to wound ? Or, is it better to bespeak fair peace At price of our supremacy ? To rub noses And smoke the calumet, as’twere, With this puissant potentate Potatau, This gentle “ king of the cannibal islands And so, by well-meant but misplaced leniency,. Give all encouragement to the ingrate rebels Some other time to encroach upon our rights ? Methinks the first were better: better for us* And all who shall come after us, That Britain’s Queen should sovereignize these
isles. The cure may cost us. much; but, once
effected, We ■ can sit down in peace upon our lands Sans fear of further bloodshed. Thus, of two evils let us choose the less ; A patch’d-up peace will never bring'success., Q.E.D.
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Bibliographic details
Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 198, 5 July 1860, Page 4
Word Count
159ORIGINAL POETRY. Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 198, 5 July 1860, Page 4
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