DREAMS AND DUTY

Life is an inconstant April laughing into May,

Weeping with the aftergust of March storms laid away,

Light o’ love! Her mood is gracious, fondling sunbeams stray

Out across the cloud-smoke purple of her cloud robes gray.

Let us dream among the daisies, troll a roundelay

Where the gorse gold is lavished, and the lilies pray,

Mary's nuns, whose stainless gift is Heaven's chaliced ray,

Let us twine a wreath of science, let us play our play,

Ere we fight the fight of ages, one sweet prelude-day.

The stranger heard and mocked us from the usurped throne,

Reeled in his scornful laughter, eater of hearts, blood-blown.

But the Lord God heard and heeded, therefore we do not moan;

For He has whispered to us,‘ The secret shuttles fly,

Ye know not warp or weaver, yet neither swerve or sigh,

The eater of hearts shall wither, the drinker of blood shall die.

I have set you labour, work it; I will give you increase,

For first is winter-ploughing, after, my guerdon, peace;

Ye shall pluck strength from sorrow, ripe when the sorrows cease;

Ye shall win strength and wisdom to break the stranger's rule,

But if ye slink and babble ye are but as the fools,

Ye are but as the stranger, fit for the thorny schools.”