The Poems of Henry Van Dyke Part 41

O cleansing indignation, O flame of righteous wrath, Give me a soul to feel thee and follow in thy path!

Save me from selfish virtue, arm me for fearless fight, And give me strength to carry on, a soldier of the Right!

January, 1918.

THE PEACEFUL WARRIOR

I have no joy in strife, Peace is my great desire; Yet G.o.d forbid I lose my life Through fear to face the fire.

A peaceful man must fight For that which peace demands,-- Freedom and faith, honor and right, Defend with heart and hands.

Farewell, my friendly books; Farewell, ye woods and streams; The fate that calls me forward looks To a duty beyond dreams.

Oh, better to be dead With a face turned to the sky, Than live beneath a slavish dread And serve a giant lie.

Stand up, my heart, and strive For the things most dear to thee!

Why should we care to be alive Unless the world is free?

May, 1918.

FROM GLORY UNTO GLORY

AMERICAN FLAG SONG

1776

O dark the night and dim the day When first our flag arose; It fluttered bravely in the fray To meet o'erwhelming foes.

Our fathers saw the splendor s.h.i.+ne, They dared and suffered all; They won our freedom by the sign-- The holy sign, the radiant sign-- Of the stars that never fall.

_Chorus_

All hail to thee, Young Glory!

Among the flags of earth We'll ne'er forget the story Of thy heroic birth.

1861

O wild the later storm that shook The pillars of the State, When brother against brother took The final arms of fate.

But union lived and peace divine Enfolded brothers all; The flag floats o'er them with the sign-- The loyal sign, the equal sign-- Of the stars that never fall.

_Chorus_

All hail to thee, Old Glory!

Of thee our heart's desire Foretells a golden story, For thou hast come through fire.

1917

O fiercer than all wars before That raged on land or sea, The Giant Robber's world-wide war For the things that shall not be!

Thy sister banners hold the line; To thee, dear flag, they call; And thou hast joined them with the sign-- The heavenly sign, the victor sign-- Of the stars that never fall.

_Chorus_

All hail to thee, New Glory!

We follow thee unfurled To write the larger story Of Freedom for the World.

September 4, 1918.

BRITAIN, FRANCE, AMERICA

The rough expanse of democratic sea Which parts the lands that live by liberty Is no division; for their hearts are one.

To fight together till their cause is won.

For land and water let us make our pact, And seal the solemn word with valiant act: No continent is firm, no ocean pure, Until on both the rights of man are sure.

April, 1917.

THE RED CROSS

Sign of the Love Divine That bends to bear the load Of all who suffer, all who bleed, Along life's th.o.r.n.y road:

Sign of the Heart Humane, That through the darkest fight Would bring to wounded friend and foe A ministry of light:

O dear and holy sign, Lead onward like a star!

The armies of the just are thine, And all we have and are.

October 20, 1918.

For the Red Cross Christmas Roll Call.

EASTER ROAD

1918