 | The Five Notions |  |
90
THE BLOOD
Ye are very strong, O sons of mine;
Strong of heart and thew and blow:
Ye have fared forth through the arduous world
Wherever a man might go;
And your strength is an ancient, slumberless strength,
And greater than ye know.
Strong of heart and thew and blow:
Ye have fared forth through the arduous world
Wherever a man might go;
And your strength is an ancient, slumberless strength,
And greater than ye know.
Out of the pick of the elder tribes,
Out of the old dim battles they fought,
Out of the sea and the landward fights,
Blood and breed and mettle ye brought,
Honour and vision and sanity,
Whereby ye have lived and wrought.
Out of the old dim battles they fought,
Out of the sea and the landward fights,
Blood and breed and mettle ye brought,
Honour and vision and sanity,
Whereby ye have lived and wrought.
Many peoples are ye become,
Sundered by hemisphere and flood;
Many peoples in governance,
Yet one in indelible brotherhood;
Many peoples and one in law.
Many peoples and one in the blood.
Sundered by hemisphere and flood;
93
Yet one in indelible brotherhood;
Many peoples and one in law.
Many peoples and one in the blood.
For your law is a law for the makers of laws,
Builded of justice and mercy and right,
Ordered and builded with searchings and cares,
As ye clomb steadfastly out of the night
Into the dawn and the day that is yours,
Into the gracious, unquestioning light.
Builded of justice and mercy and right,
Ordered and builded with searchings and cares,
As ye clomb steadfastly out of the night
Into the dawn and the day that is yours,
Into the gracious, unquestioning light.
Stay not, flinch not, hold not your hand—
What are these that cry out on ye?
Babblers, brawlers, palterers, blind,
Who would barter their heritage, crook the knee,
For a little present quiet, and leave
Whips and shame for the time to be.
What are these that cry out on ye?
Babblers, brawlers, palterers, blind,
Who would barter their heritage, crook the knee,
For a little present quiet, and leave
Whips and shame for the time to be.
Let them rail; let them snarl, and point
Fingers of scornfulness, and lure
Fools to rebellion, rapine, war;
Still shall ye labour, still endure,
Still shall ye bleed for Freedom's sake,
Still is your guerdon ample, sure.
Fingers of scornfulness, and lure
Fools to rebellion, rapine, war;
Still shall ye labour, still endure,
Still shall ye bleed for Freedom's sake,
Still is your guerdon ample, sure.
94
Through tears and blood ye have won your power;
Through tears and blood, when the need may rise,
Ye shall keep it whole and inviolate;
For over the hate, and the rage, and the lies,
Peace, Honour, Liberty are set,
And Truth, with fearless, shining eyes.
Through tears and blood, when the need may rise,
Ye shall keep it whole and inviolate;
For over the hate, and the rage, and the lies,
Peace, Honour, Liberty are set,
And Truth, with fearless, shining eyes.
Ye are very strong, O sons of mine!
Strong of heart, and thew and blow;
Ye have fared forth through the arduous world
Wherever a man might go;
And your strength is an ancient, slumberless strength,
And greater than ye know.
Strong of heart, and thew and blow;
Ye have fared forth through the arduous world
Wherever a man might go;
And your strength is an ancient, slumberless strength,
And greater than ye know.
| The Five Notions | |