Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TWO LESSONS, by CHARLES LOUIS HENRY WAGNER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TWO LESSONS, by                    
First Line: I hate;--
Last Line: My love!
Subject(s): Hate; Love; War


I HATE;—
And I would teach the hate I own
Throughout my years of life,
To all
Who come within the reachings of my voice,
The German will, the German mind, the German god,
The god of avarice and power,
The mind that seeks dominion for the hour,
The will that has alone
Transformed my peace to strife
And made a hell of life;
I hate,—
God, how I hate
The man responsible for Rheims,
The PEWTER EMPEROR of hosts
Called, and rightly called,
HUNS.
The fool, who made his boasts,
And boasting, laughed
In scorn
When babes and women sank in pierced seas,
And then,—(the height of infamy)
Exalted with degrees
His underlings who worked his will,
God! I would teach
My hate!

I Love,—
And I would teach this love of mine.
Through all the years to come,
To those
Who follow me and step within my fold,
The principles that underlie the war
Which the Oppressed is waging for the right,
The ideals that dethrone the might
This PEWTER EMPEROR acclaims;
Ideals;
That Men are more than names,
That kings are not divine,
That nations weak, shall not be dumb
And dance to rhythm of the drum;
I love,—
God! How I love
The men who freely consecrate
And give their lives that Freedom's gleams
Shall flood the world;
Light
That shall make the Deeps rejoice
And Heaven smile once more,
And oh, how I love that fellow thought
That makes men great
And brings
Equality with kings,
The Truth my Christ has taught,
True life is Love.
God! I would teach
My love!





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