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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


LIBERTY by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS

First Line: FREE -- FREE -- WHO ARE THE FREE?
Last Line: FREE -- FREE -- THESE ARE THE FREE.
Subject(s): FREEDOM; LIBERTY;

Free -- free -- who are the free?
Those, O God, who are true to Thee;
True to the goal of a noble plan,
True to the need of their fellow man,
True to the call of the inner soul,
True to the good of the mighty whole,
True, O God, to their brothers and Thee,
These -- these -- these are the free.

Where -- where -- where are the free,
Where on land or the tossing sea?
There are they where the need is dire,
There are they in the battle-fire,
There are they by the bed of pain,
There they are dragging the prison chain,
Where the toil and the triumph be,
There -- there -- there are the free.

How -- how -- how will the free
Win the goal of their liberty?
Ever daring impossible things,
Ever trusting the spirit's wings,
Stoutly meeting the deadliest foe,
Stoutly dealing the final blow,
Gladly dying for liberty,
Free -- free -- these are the free.



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