I.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbspI made the treaty upon it.
Just venture a quiet rebuke;
       &nbspDall’ Ongaro write him a sonnet;
Ricasoli gently explain
       &nbspSome need of the constitution:
He’ll swear to it over again,
       &nbspProviding an “easy solution.”
You’ll call back the Grand-duke.

II.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbspI promised the Emperor Francis
To argue the case by his book,
       &nbspAnd ask you to meet his advances.
The Ducal cause, we know
       &nbsp(Whether you or he be the wronger),
Has very strong points;—although
       &nbspYour bayonets, there, have stronger.
You’ll call back the Grand-duke.

III.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbspHe is not pure altogether.
For instance, the oath which he took
       &nbsp(In the Forty-eight rough weather)
He’d “nail your flag to his mast,”
       &nbspThen softly scuttled the boat you
Hoped to escape in at last,
       &nbspAnd both by a “Proprio motu.”
You’ll call back the Grand-duke.
IV.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbspThe scheme meets nothing to shock it
In this smart letter, look,
       &nbspWe found in Radetsky’s pocket;
Where his Highness in sprightly style
       &nbspOf the flower of his Tuscans wrote,
“These heads be the hottest in file;
       &nbspPray shoot them the quickest.” Quote,
And call back the Grand-duke.

V.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbspThere are some things to object to.
He cheated, betrayed, and forsook,
       &nbspThen called in the foe to protect you.
He taxed you for wines and for meats
       &nbspThroughout that eight years’ pastime
Of Austria’s drum in your streets—
       &nbspOf course you remember the last time
You called back your Grand-duke?

VI.
You’ll take back the Grand-duke?
       &nbspIt is not race he is poor in,
Although he never could brook
       &nbspThe patriot cousin at Turin.
His love of kin you discern,
       &nbspBy his hate of your flag and me—
So decidedly apt to turn
       &nbspAll colours at the sight of the Three.
You’ll call back the Grand-duke.
VII.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbsp’T was weak that he fled from the Pitti;
But consider how little he shook
       &nbspAt thought of bombarding your city!
And, balancing that with this,
       &nbspThe Christian rule is plain for us;
... Or the Holy Father’s Swiss
       &nbspHave shot his Perugians in vain for us.
You’ll call back the Grand-duke.

VIII.
Pray take back your Grand-duke.
       &nbsp—I, too, have suffered persuasion.
All Europe, raven and rook,
       &nbspScreeched at me armed for your nation.
Your cause in my heart struck spurs;
       &nbspI swept such warnings aside for you:
My very child’s eyes, and Hers,
       &nbspGrew like my brother’s who died for you.
You’ll call back the Grand-duke?

IX.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbspMy French fought nobly with reason,—
Left many a Lombardy nook
       &nbspRed as with wine out of season.
Little we grudged what was done there,
       &nbspPaid freely your ransom of blood:
Our heroes stark in the sun there
       &nbspWe would not recall if we could.
You’ll call back the Grand-duke?
X.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbspHis son rode fast as he got off
That day on the enemy’s hook,
       &nbspWhen I had an epaulette shot off.
Though splashed (as I saw him afar—no
       &nbspNear) by those ghastly rains,
The mark, when you’ve washed him in Arno,
       &nbspWill scarcely be larger than Cain’s.
You’ll call back the Grand-duke?


XI.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbsp’T will be so simple, quite beautiful:
The shepherd recovers his crook,
       &nbsp... If you should be sheep, and dutiful.
I spoke a word worth chalking
       &nbspOn Milan’s wall—but stay,
Here’s Poniatowsky talking,—
       &nbspYou’ll listen to him to-day,
And call back the Grand-duke.

XII.
You’ll take back your Grand-duke?
       &nbspObserve, there’s no one to force it,—
Unless the Madonna, Saint Luke
       &nbspDrew for you, choose to endorse it.
I charge you, by great Saint Martino
       &nbspAnd prodigies quickened by wrong,
Remember your Dead on Ticino;
       &nbspBe worthy, be constant, be strong—
Bah!—call back the Grand-duke!!