The men of the earth said: "We must war As the men of the earth have warred; 'Tis ours to wield on the battlefield The unrelenting sword." @3But they who had seen the valiant die, The fathers of men, they answered, "Why?"@1 The men of the earth said: "We must arm, For so we would reveal The nobler part of the human heart, The love of the nation's weal." @3But they who had sung their lullaby, The mothers of men, they answered, "Why?"@1 Then men of the earth said: "We must fight, For so the fit survive; By the jungle law of fang and claw The strong are kept alive." @3But a crippled, cankered progeny, The sons of the culls, they answered, "Why?"@1 The men of the earth said: "We must fall, And falling build the road O'er which the race with quickening pace Can find its way to God." @3But down from a Cross uplifted high, The Saviour of men, He answered, "Why?"@1 | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AND THE GREATEST OF THESE IS WAR by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON DISASTER by CHARLES STUART CALVERLEY AT HOME IN HEAVEN by JAMES MONTGOMERY THE OLD MAN'S WISH by WALTER POPE FALSTAFF'S SONG by EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN POEM FOR PICTURE: TO AN OIL PAINTING BY WINSLOW HOMER (DRIFTWOOD) by FRANK ANKENBRAND JR. |