Thy blade of war, and, battle-storied, one
Rejoices in the sheath, and hides from light.
American I am, would wars were done!

Now westward, look, my country bids good-night –
Peace to the world from ports without a gun!

YES

THE DAWN OF PEACE

ALFRED NOYES

on our brows we feel the breath
Of dawn," though in the night we wait!
An arrow is in the heart of Death,
A God is at the doors of Fate!
The spirit that moved upon the Deep
Is moving through the minds of men:
The nations feel it in their sleep,

A change has touched their dreams again.

Voices, confused, and faint, arise,

Troubling their hearts from East and West.
A doubtful light is in their skies,

A gleam that will not let them rest:
The dawn, the dawn is on the wing,

The stir of change on every side,
Unsignalled as the approach of Spring,
Invincible as the hawthorn-tide.

Have ye not heard it, far and nigh,
The voice of France across the dark,
And all the Atlantic with one cry

Beating the shores of Europe?-hark!

Then

if ye will

uplift your word Of cynic wisdom! Once again Tell us He came to bring a sword,

Tell us He lived and died in vain.

Say that we dream! Our dreams have woven
Truths that out-face the burning sun:
The lightnings, that we dreamed, have cloven
Time, space, and linked all lands in one!
Dreams! But their swift celestial fingers
Have knit the world with threads of steel,
Till no remotest island lingers

Beyond the world's one Commonweal.

Tell us that custom, sloth, and fear

Are strong, then name them " common-sense"! Tell us that greed rules everywhere,

Then dub the lie "experience":

Year after year, age after age,

Has handed down, thro' fool and child,

For earth's divinest heritage

The dreams whereon old wisdom smiled.

Dreams are they? But ye cannot stay them,
Or thrust the dawn back for one hour!
Truth, Love, and Justice, if ye slay them,
Return with more than earthly power:
Strive, if ye will, to seal the fountains.

That send the Spring thro' leaf and spray: Drive back the sun from the Eastern mountains, Then bid this mightier movement stay.

It is the Dawn of Peace! The nations

From East to West have heard a cry, "Though all earth's blood-red generations By hate and slaughter climbed thus high, Here on this height - still to aspire,

One only path remains untrod,

One path of love and peace climbs higher! Make straight that highway for our God!"

ARMAGEDDON

A War Song of the Future

SIR EDWIN ARNOLD

MARCHING down to Armageddon
Brothers, stout and strong!
Let us cheer the way we tread on

With a soldier's song!

Faint we by the weary road,

Or fall we in the rout,

Dirge or Pæan, Death or Triumph!—

Let the song ring out!

We are they who scorn the scorners

Love the lovers - hate

None within the world's four corners

All must share one fate;

We are they whose common banner

Bears no badge nor sign,

Save the Light which dyes it white

The Hope that makes it shine.

We are they whose bugle rings,
That all the wars may cease;
We are they will pay the Kings
Their cruel price for Peace;

We are they whose steadfast watchword
Is what Christ did teach, —
"Each man for his Brother first-
And Heaven, then, for each."

We are they who will not falter
Many swords or few-

Till we make this Earth the altar
Of a worship new;

We are they who will not take

From palace, priest, or code,

A meaner law than "Brotherhood"
A lower Lord than God.

Dooms us to the long, long sadness

Of this human hate?

Let us slay in perfect pity

Those that must not live; Vanquish, and forgive our foes

Or fall and still forgive!

We are those whose unpaid legions,
In free ranks arrayed,
Massacred in many regions-
Never once were stayed;

We are they whose torn battalions,
Trained to bleed, not fly,
Make our agonies a triumph, -
Conquer, while we die!

Therefore, down to Armageddon -
Brothers, bold and strong;
Cheer the glorious way we tread on
With this soldier's song!
Let the armies of the old flags
March in silent dread!

Death and Life are one to us,

Who fight for Quick and Dead!