BEFORE our eyes a pageant rolled Whose banners every land unfurled; And as it passed, its splendors told The art and glory of the world. The nations of the earth have stood With face to face and hand in hand, And sworn to common brotherhood The sundered souls of every land. And while America is pledged To light her Pharos towers for all, While her broad mantle, starred and edged With truth, o'er high and low shall fall; And while the electric nerves still belt The State and Continent in one, -- The discords of the past shall melt Like ice beneath the summer sun. O land of hope! thy future years Are shrouded from our mortal sight; But thou canst turn the century's fears To heralds of a cloudless light! The sacred torch our fathers lit No wild misrule can ever quench; Still in our midst wise judges sit, Whom party passion cannot blench. From soul to soul, from hand to hand Thy sons have passed that torch along, Whose flame by Wisdom's breath is fanned Whose staff is held by runners strong. O Spirit of immortal truth, Thy power alone that circles all Can feed the fire as in its youth -- Can hold the runners lest they fall! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TRUE UNTIL DEATH by ROBERT BURNS TWO VOYAGERS by EMILY DICKINSON THE WANING MOON by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY WRITTEN IN MARCH by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH ETERNITY by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD LILIES: 6. MY BELOVED by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) THE UNKNOWN SHEPHERD'S COMPLAINT by RICHARD BARNFIELD POET FLAYS TEMPTATIONS OF CITY LIFE by MORRIS GILBERT BISHOP |