THEY knew they were fighting our war. As the months grew to years Their men and their women had watched through their blood and their tears For a sign that we knew, we who could not have come to be free Without France, long ago. And at last from the threatening sea The stars of our strength on the eyes of their weariness rose, And he stood among them, the sorrow-strong hero we chose To carry our flag to the tomb of that Frenchman whose name A man of our country could once more pronounce without shame. What crown of rich words would he set for all time on this day? The past and the future were listening what he would say -- Only this, from the white-flaming heart of a passion austere, Only this -- ah, but France understood! "Lafayette, we are here!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONNET: SILENCE by THOMAS HOOD O MAGNET-SOUTH by WALT WHITMAN I WOULD NOT LIFT THY VEIL by A. LOUISE ASHWORTH AUGUST SUNSET OVER LAKE CHAMPLAIN by FRANK A. BALCH ON BEING ASKED IF ONE WAS A NUMBER, REPLY TO MR. HOUGHTON by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD AVE MARIA IN ROME by MATHILDE BLIND A MORNING WALK by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN SPRING AND WINTER by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON THE WANDERER: 5. IN HOLLAND: A LETTER TO CORDELIA by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON |