Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE CONFLICT: 2. AMERICAN NEUTRALITY, by PERCY MACKAYE


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE CONFLICT: 2. AMERICAN NEUTRALITY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: How shall we keep an armed neutrality
Last Line: Our souls cannot keep neutral and keep true.
Alternate Author Name(s): Mackaye, Percy Wallace
Subject(s): Duty; England; Peace; United States; World War I; English; America; First World War


How shall we keep an armed neutrality
With our own souls? Our souls belie our lips,
That seek to hold our passion in eclipse
And hide the wound of our sharp sympathy,
Saying: "One's neighbor differs; he might be
Kindled to wrath, were one to wield the whips
Of Truth." Great God! A red Apocalypse
Flames on the blinded world: and what do we?

Peace! do we cry? Peace is the godlike plan
We love and dedicate our children to;
Yet England's cause is ours: The rights of man,
Which little Belgium battles for anew,
Shall we recant? No! — Being American,
Our souls cannot keep neutral and keep true.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net