The Poems of Henry Van Dyke Part 37

O Lord our G.o.d, Thy mighty hand Hath made our country free; From all her broad and happy land May praise arise to Thee.

Fulfill the promise of her youth, Her liberty defend; By law and order, love and truth, America befriend!

The strength of every State increase In Union's golden chain; Her thousand cities fill with peace, Her million fields with grain.

The virtues of her mingled blood In one new people blend; By unity and brotherhood, America befriend!

O suffer not her feet to stray; But guide her untaught might, That she may walk in peaceful day, And lead the world in light.

Bring down the proud, lift up the poor, Unequal ways amend; By justice, nation-wide and sure, America befriend!

Thro' all the waiting land proclaim Thy gospel of good-will; And may the music of Thy name In every bosom thrill.

O'er hill and vale, from sea to sea.

Thy holy reign extend; By faith and hope and charity, America befriend!

THE RED FLOWER AND GOLDEN STARS

_These verses were written during the terrible world-war, and immediately after. The earlier ones had to be unsigned because America was still "neutral" and I held a diplomatic post. The rest of them were printed after I had resigned, and was free to speak out, and to take active service in the Navy, when America entered the great conflict for liberty and peace on earth._

Avalon, February 22, 1920.

THE RED FLOWER

June, 1914

In the pleasant time of Pentecost, By the little river Kyll, I followed the angler's winding path Or waded the stream at will, And the friendly fertile German land Lay round me green and still.

But all day long on the eastern bank Of the river cool and clear, Where the curving track of the double rails Was hardly seen though near, The endless trains of German troops Went rolling down to Trier.

They packed the windows with bullet heads And caps of hodden gray; They laughed and sang and shouted loud When the trains were brought to a stay; They waved their hands and sang again As they went on their iron way.

No shadow fell on the smiling land, No cloud arose in the sky; I could hear the river's quiet tune When the trains had rattled by; But my heart sank low with a heavy sense Of trouble,--I knew not why.

Then came I into a certain field Where the devil's paint-brush spread 'Mid the gray and green of the rolling hills A flaring splotch of red,-- An evil omen, a b.l.o.o.d.y sign, And a token of many dead.

I saw in a vision the field-gray horde Break forth at the devil's hour, And trample the earth into crimson mud In the rage of the Will to Power,-- All this I dreamed in the valley of Kyll, At the sign of the blood-red flower.

A Sc.r.a.p OF PAPER

"Will you go to war just for a sc.r.a.p of paper?"--_Question of the German Chancellor to the British Amba.s.sador_, _August 5_, 1914.

A mocking question! Britain's answer came Swift as the light and searching as the flame.

"Yes, for a sc.r.a.p of paper we will fight Till our last breath, and G.o.d defend the right!

"A sc.r.a.p of paper where a name is set Is strong as duty's pledge and honor's debt.

"A sc.r.a.p of paper holds for man and wife The sacrament of love, the bond of life.

"A sc.r.a.p of paper may be Holy Writ With G.o.d's eternal word to hallow it.

"A sc.r.a.p of paper binds us both to stand Defenders of a neutral neighbor land.

"By G.o.d, by faith, by honor, yes! We fight To keep our name upon that paper white."

September, 1914.

STAND FAST

Stand fast, Great Britain!

Together England, Scotland, Ireland stand One in the faith that makes a mighty land,-- True to the bond you gave and will not break And fearless in the fight for conscience' sake!

Against the Giant Robber clad in steel, With blood of trampled Belgium on his heel, Striding through France to strike you down at last, Britain, stand fast!

Stand fast, brave land!

The Huns are thundering toward the citadel; They prate of Culture but their path is h.e.l.l; Their light is darkness, and the b.l.o.o.d.y sword They wield and wors.h.i.+p is their only Lord.

O land where reason stands secure on right, O land where freedom is the source of light, Against the mailed Barbarians' deadly blast, Britain, stand fast!

Stand fast, dear land!

Thou island mother of a world-wide race, Whose children speak thy tongue and love thy face, Their hearts and hopes are with thee in the strife, Their hands will break the sword that seeks thy life; Fight on until the Teuton madness cease; Fight bravely on, until the word of peace Is spoken in the English tongue at last,-- Britain, stand fast!

September, 1914.

LIGHTS OUT

(1915)

"Lights out" along the land, "Lights out" upon the sea.

The night must put her hiding hand O'er peaceful towns where children sleep, And peaceful s.h.i.+ps that darkly creep Across the waves, as if they were not free.

The dragons of the air, The h.e.l.l-hounds of the deep, Lurking and prowling everywhere, Go forth to seek their helpless prey, Not knowing whom they maim or slay-- Mad harvesters, who care not what they reap.

Out with the tranquil lights, Out with the lights that burn For love and law and human rights!

Set back the clock a thousand years: All they have gained now disappears, And the dark ages suddenly return.

Kaiser, who loosed wild death, And terror in the night, G.o.d grant you draw no quiet breath, Until the madness you began Is ended, and long-suffering man, Set free from war lords, cries, "Let there be Light."