The Years Between Part 2

Through learned and laborious years They set themselves to find Fresh terrors and undreamed-of fears To heap upon mankind.

All that they drew from Heaven above Or digged from earth beneath, They laid into their treasure-trove And a.r.s.enals of death:

While, for well-weighed advantage sake, Ruler and ruled alike Built up the faith they meant to break When the fit hour should strike.

They traded with the careless earth, And good return it gave; They plotted by their neighbour's hearth The means to make him slave.

When all was ready to their hand They loosed their hidden sword, And utterly laid waste a land Their oath was pledged to guard.

Coldly they went about to raise To life and make more dread Abominations of old days, That men believed were dead.

They paid the price to reach their goal Across a world in flame; But their own hate slew their own soul Before that victory came.

ZION

The Doorkeepers of Zion, They do not always stand In helmet and whole armour, With halberds in their hand, But, being sure of Zion, And all her mysteries, They rest awhile in Zion, Sit down and smile in Zion; Ay, even jest in Zion; In Zion, at their ease.

The Gatekeepers of Baal, They dare not sit or lean, But fume and fret and posture And foam and curse between; For being bound to Baal, Whose sacrifice is vain.

Their rest is scant with Baal, They glare and pant for Baal, They mouth and rant for Baal, For Baal in their pain!

But we will go to Zion, By choice and not through dread, With these our present comrades And those our present dead; And, being free of Zion In both her fellows.h.i.+ps, Sit down and sup in Zion-- Stand up and drink in Zion Whatever cup in Zion Is offered to our lips!

LORD ROBERTS

1914

He pa.s.sed in the very battle-smoke Of the war that he had descried.

Three hundred mile of cannon spoke When the Master-Gunner died.

He pa.s.sed to the very sound of the guns; But, before his eye grew dim, He had seen the faces of the sons Whose sires had served with him.

He had touched their sword-hilts and greeted each With the old sure word of praise; And there was virtue in touch and speech As it had been in old days.

So he dismissed them and took his rest, And the steadfast spirit went forth Between the adoring East and West And the tireless guns of the North.

Clean, simple, valiant, well-beloved, Flawless in faith and fame, Whom neither ease nor honours moved An hair's-breadth from his aim.

Never again the war-wise face, The weighed and urgent word That pleaded in the market-place-- Pleaded and was not heard!

Yet from his life a new life springs Through all the hosts to come, And Glory is the least of things That follow this man home.

THE QUESTION

1916

Brethren, how shall it fare with me When the war is laid aside, If it be proven that I am he For whom a world has died?

If it be proven that all my good, And the greater good I will make, Were purchased me by a mult.i.tude Who suffered for my sake?

That I was delivered by mere mankind Vowed to one sacrifice, And not, as I hold them, battle-blind, But dying with open eyes?

That they did not ask me to draw the sword When they stood to endure their lot-- That they only looked to me for a word, And I answered I knew them not?

If it be found, when the battle clears, Their death has set me free, Then how shall I live with myself through the years Which they have bought for me?

Brethren, how must it fare with me, Or how am I justified, If it be proven that I am he For whom mankind has died, If it be proven that I am he Who being questioned denied?

THE CHOICE

1917

(THE AMERICAN SPIRIT SPEAKS)

_To the Judge of Right and Wrong With Whom fulfilment lies Our purpose and our power belong, Our faith and sacrifice._

Let Freedom's Land rejoice!

Our ancient bonds are riven; Once more to us the eternal choice Of Good or Ill is given.

Not at a little cost, Hardly by prayer or tears, Shall we recover the road we lost In the drugged and doubting years.

But, after the fires and the wrath, But, after searching and pain, His Mercy opens us a path To live with ourselves again.

In the Gates of Death rejoice!

We see and hold the good-- Bear witness, Earth, we have made our choice With Freedom's brotherhood!

Then praise the Lord Most High Whose Strength hath saved us whole, Who bade us choose that the Flesh should die And not the living Soul!

_To the G.o.d in Man displayed-- Where e'er we see that Birth, Be love and understanding paid As never yet on earth!_

_To the Spirit that moves in Man, On Whom all worlds depend, Be Glory since our world began And service to the end!_