In the long, long toil and the strenuous fight Of the human race to win its way From the feudal darkness into the day Give us a name to stir the blood With a warmer glow and a swifter flood 5 10 At the touch of a courage that conquers fear,A name like the sound of a trumpet, clear, And silver-sweet, and iron-strong, 15 That calls three million men to their feet, Give us a name to move the heart 20 With the strength that noble griefs impart, 25 Where the cause at stake is the world's free life 30 Henry van Dyke. PLACE DE LA CONCORDE August 14, 1914. (Since the bombardment of Strasbourg, August 14, 1870, her statue in Paris, representing Alsace, had been draped in mourning by the French people.) NEAR where the royal victims fell In days gone by, caught in the swell Of human passion, deep and wide: A Nation's later sorrow knew- That by nor sound nor word Betrayed how mightily its heart was stirred. A memory Time never could efface 10 A memory of Grief Like a great Silence brooded o'er the place; 15 That would not cry, though held in check too long. One felt that joy drew near A joy intense that seemed itself to fear Brightening in eyes that had been dull, 20 Upon the Strasbourg figure, raised Above us-mourning, beautiful! Then one stood at the statue's base, and spoke Men needed not to ask what word; Each in his breast the message heard, Writ for him by Despair, That evermore in moving phrase 25 Breathes from the Invalides and Père Lachaise Vainly it seemed, alas! But now, France looking on the image there, 30 Hope gave her back the lost Alsace. A deeper hush fell on the crowd: A sound-the lightest-seemed too loud As to that form the speaker rose, The mournful crape, gray-worn and old, And with the touch of tender care That fond emotion speaks, 'Mid tears that none could quite command, Placed the Tricolor in her hand, And kissed her on both cheeks! 35 40 Florence Earle Coates. 1914 V THE SOLDIER If I should die, think only this of me; 7 Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given; Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day; Rupert Brooke |