(Southampton Docks: October 1899) WHILE the far farewell music thins and fails, And the broad bottoms rip the bearing brine - All smalling slowly to the gray sea-line - And each significant red smoke-shaft pales, Keen sense of severance everywhere prevails, Which shapes the late long tramp of mounting men To seeming words that ask and ask again: 'How long, O striving Teutons, Slavs, and Gaels Must your wroth reasonings trade on lives like these, That are as puppets in a playing hand? - When shall the saner softer polities Whereof we dream, have sway in each proud land And patriotism, grown Godlike, scorn to stand Bondslave to realms, but circle earth and seas?' |