{"nodes":[{"node":{"title":"Hewitt001","Collections":"A Little People","Contributor":"John Hewitt Estate","Coverage":"1986","Creator":"Linen Hall Library","Date":"Wednesday, March 16, 2016","Format":"TIFF","Identifier":"Hewitt001","Item Description":"Manuscript","Keywords":"Outnumbered, History, Migration","Language":"English","Path":"https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/hewitt001","Publisher":"Linen Hall Library","Relation":"Linen Hall Library","Rights":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA","Scanned image":{"src":"https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Hewitt001_0.jpg","alt":""},"Source":"LHL Archive","Transcript":"John Hewitt\nA Little People\n\nWe are a little people, in this island\nwould be outnumbered by an older stock\nwhose history's too confused to understand\nwhose faith's deep grounded on an ancient rock.\nIn this northeastern corner not outfaced,\nwe've hugged our sod for nigh four hundred years\nsince the last ripples of migration placed\nour grip upon this soil that once was theirs.\n\nHere we have our own tribal rituals\nbonfires and banners drums fifes marching men\nwhich every year each summer season calls\nthe ancient standards to unfurl again\nfor battles when we won our victories\nfor the free spirit and the open mind -\nnames only now blown upon the breeze\ntheir valiant freedoms blurred and ill defined.\n\nYet for an age we saw ourselves a part\nof a world-striding empire's endless prime,\ngreat ships, fine linen, shewed our skill and art\nthat should, we thought, outlast the drift of time. \n\nBut now that empire-commonwealth runs down;\nnew flags, new faces fill the halls of state\nand in embattled country alone\nwe misbelieve these vagaries of fate. \n","Type":"Text","Author":"\u200bJohn Hewitt","Updated date":"Tuesday, July 26, 2016 - 10:29","Nid":"1045"}},{"node":{"title":"Hewitt002","Collections":"A Little People","Contributor":"John Hewitt Estate","Coverage":"1986","Creator":"Linen Hall Library","Date":"Wednesday, March 16, 2016","Format":"TIFF","Identifier":"Hewitt002","Item Description":"Manuscript","Keywords":"Nationhood, Language","Language":"English","Path":"https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/hewitt002","Publisher":"Linen Hall Library","Relation":"Linen Hall Library","Rights":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA","Scanned image":{"src":"https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Hewitt002_0.jpg","alt":""},"Source":"LHL Archive","Transcript":"Those happier decades we were dominant,\nbut now that mastery has flaked away\nthose trades and crafts which fed us have grown scant;\ntoo many waken to a workless day.\nSo some would pray our shrunken empire hold\nus closer to her flank beside the throne\nand others, rasher, summon us to fold\nour thin cloak round us close and stand alone.\n\nAmong that other tribe a myth-crazed clan\noathbound to serve their omen of nationhood,\ncower in their covens secretly to plan\ntheir future's chart in scrawls of tears and blood.\nHence sorely challenged by their doubts and fears,\nour public men spin out and skein of words\nwhich lashing towards disaster's shores appears\na storm of hissing snakes and croaking birds. \n\nFrom this fraught language \u2013 as sure consequence\nsparks fall like tinder on the gaping streets\nwhere baffled wits ignite to violence\nas frightened face its mirror image meets.\nA certain way to boost our enemies\nor cut the friendship off which friends we had;\nThat ancient Greek philosopher was wise\nwhom the gods would destroy they first make mad\n","Type":"Text","Author":"\u200bJohn Hewitt","Updated date":"Tuesday, July 26, 2016 - 10:29","Nid":"1046"}},{"node":{"title":"Hewitt003","Collections":"A Little People","Contributor":"John Hewitt Estate","Coverage":"1986","Creator":"Linen Hall Library","Date":"Wednesday, March 16, 2016","Format":"TIFF","Identifier":"Hewitt003","Item Description":"Manuscript","Keywords":"Lexicon, Tolerance, Nurture","Language":"English","Path":"https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/hewitt003","Publisher":"Linen Hall Library","Relation":"Linen Hall Library","Rights":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA","Scanned image":{"src":"https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Hewitt003_0.jpg","alt":""},"Source":"LHL Archive","Transcript":"So now intransigently negative\nour threadbare lexicon provides no scope\nshould one of our nay-sayers dare to give\nsome gentler phrase of mercy, grace or hope. \n\nThat only hope now is to tame our tongues,\ntrim them to truth, for all within this place\nendure the same indignities and wrongs,\nthe common fortune of our human race\nand all must need, in tolerance combined,\na steady purpose to achieve, extend\nemployment, bodily nature, peace of mind\nwhen each may grasp his neighbour's hand as friend. \n","Type":"Text","Author":"\u200bJohn Hewitt","Updated date":"Tuesday, July 26, 2016 - 10:29","Nid":"1047"}}]}