THE EMPIRE BUILDERS

Who are the Empire-builders? They

Whose desperate arrogance demands

A self-reflecting power to sway

A hundred little selfless lands?

Lord God of battles, ere we bow

To these and to their soulless lust,

Let fall Thy thunders on us now

And strike us equal to the dust.

Before the stars in heaven were made

Our great Commander led us forth;

And now the embattled lines are laid

To East, to West, to South, to North;

According as of old He planned

We take our station in the field,

Nor dare to dream we understand

The splendour of the swords we wield.

We know not what the Soul intends

That lives and moves behind our deeds;

We wheel and march to glorious ends

Beyond the common soldier's needs:

And some are raised to high rewards,

And some by regiments are hurled

To die upon the opposing swords

And sleep — forgotten by the world.

And not where navies churn the foam,

Nor called to fields of fierce emprize,

In many a country cottage-home

The Empire-builder lives and dies:

Or through the roaring streets he goes

A lean and weary City slave,

The conqueror of a thousand foes

Who walks, unheeded, to his grave.

Leaders unknown of hopes forlorn

Go past us in the daily mart,

With many a shadowy crown of thorn

And many a kingly broken heart:

Though England's banner overhead

Ever the secret signal flew,

We only see its Cross is red

As children see the skies are blue.

For all are Empire-builders here,

Whose hearts are true to heaven and home

And, year by slow revolving year,

Fulfil the duties as they come;

So simple seems the task, and yet

Many for this are crucified;

Ay, and their brother-men forget

The simple wounds in palm and side.

But he that to his home is true,

Where'er the tides of power may flow,

Has built a kingdom great and new

Which Time nor Fate shall overthrow

These are the Empire-builders, these

Annex where none shall say them nay

Beyond the world's uncharted seas

Realms that can never pass away.