Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PREPARE, by WITTER BYNNER


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

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First Line: O human hearts
Last Line: But from yourselves!
Alternate Author Name(s): Morgan, Emanuel
Subject(s): Holidays; Peace; Veterans Day; War


O human hearts,
Beating through fear, through jealousy,
Through pride, through avarice, through bitterness,
Through agony, through death.
Beating, beating,
Shame and forgiveness,
Bewilderment and love,
O my own country,
My new world,
Prepare,
Prepare—
Not to avenge wrong
But to exalt right,
Not to display honor
But to prove humility,
Not to bring wrath
But vision,
Not to win war
But a people,
And not people only,
But all peoples,
Not to exact justice from your enemies only
But from your friends,
And not from your friends only
But from yourselves!





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