I WE do accept thee, heavenly Peace! Albeit thou comest in a guise Unlooked for -- undesired, our eyes Welcome through tears the sweet release From war, and woe, and want, -- surcease, For which we bless thee, blessed Peace! II We lift our foreheads from the dust; And as we meet thy brow's clear calm, There falls a freshening sense of balm Upon our spirits. Fear -- distrust -- The hopeless present on us thrust -- We'll meet them as we can, and must. III War has not wholly wrecked us: still Strong hands, brave hearts, high souls are ours -- Proud consciousness of quenchless powers-- A Past whose memory makes us thrill -- Futures uncharactered, to fill With heroisms -- if we will. IV Then courage, brothers!--Though each breast Feel oft the rankling thorn, despair, That failure plants so sharply there -- No pain, no pang shall be confest: We'll work and watch the brightening west, And leave to God and Heaven the rest. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FRAGMENT by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE: 13 by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING THE HAYSTACK IN THE FLOODS by WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896) SONG, FR. THE TWO GENTELEM OF VERONA by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE APPLE-BLOSSOMS by KATHARINE CARASSO AN HYMENEAL DIALOGUE: BRIDE AND GROOM by THOMAS CAREW TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 2. ON AN ATLANTIC STEAMSHIP by EDWARD CARPENTER |