For Peace

Flowers grow in the grass,

Baby footfalls pass

Over the fields once red,

Over the hero's head—

For Peace.

The earth, through her leafy veil,

Whispers a magic tale;

And the scholar reads in the clod

The latest news of God—

For Peace.

Brave little wires are spun

For voices to fly upon;

Words out of clouds are caught

From some witch's woof of thought

For Peace.

And the cataract's foamy troubles

Illumine a million bubbles,

In some city far away

Turning the night to day—

For Peace.

Proud trains, heralds austere,

Bring far-off nations near,

Piercing the mountain's crown,

Treading the barriers down—

For Peace.

Swift ships, that pound the sea,

Set the earth-chained spirit free,

Show the whole round world unrolled

Before the young moon grows old—

For Peace.

And the white-winged aeroplane

Laughs, in its mad disdain,

At limits and barricades

And cruisers and cavalcades—

For Peace.

Even the war engines dread—

The guns with bomb-shells fed,

The grim gray battle-ships—

Shout through their iron lips

For Peace.

Oh, never a hero's grave

But for Peace his life he gave!

And the warrior bears his scar,

And the poet sings of war

For Peace.