COME let us sing together a new song, The triumph of the weak made strong; The victories of peace we celebrate, Not those of war and hate. The victories of peace, won after many days: Let us our voices tune to joy and praise; Come let us sing a new and happy song! Time was when by his too-great toil bowed down, The worker feared his master's frown; For some scant wage chained to his hopeless task, Nor ever dared to ask For his young lives and piteous gains afraid, A fitting share of that his hands had made; But now through union strong, the workers claim their own. There is red war not fought with sword or gun, Where, in deep peace, war's wrong is done; Where face to face in hostile camps they stand Who should clasp hand with hand: The rich man waning slow in soulless ease, The poor man spent by toils and miseries. Sing we a cheerful song, Time's curse is almost done. Ay, almost done, but ah! not wholly yet; Let not too sanguine souls forget Those for whom no man taketh thought or heed, The hearts, the lives that bleed. Let not our workers, strong in brotherhood, Forget the friendless toiler's starving brood. Mixt be our song with joy, yet not all cheerful yet. Yet for to-day, at least, let us rejoice, Uplifting jubilant heart and voice. Not what has been we hymn, but what shall be; Not the old misery, But the new days when Man beneath the power Of peaceful union blooms a perfect flower -- For this we choose not sorrow, but rejoice. We come to-day in this our solemn mirth, Bringing the flowers, the fruits, of earth, Reared by strong hands which labour glorifies. Toil, honest toil we prize -- Look round and see how rich the harvest grows, The mellow fruits, the perfumed rose that glows Raised by untiring toil from our good mother Earth. See how to-day the long drawn vistas fill With fruit of every toiler's skill, The man's strong gains, the woman's deft and fine; Here heart and brain combine In pitying succour for the weak and dumb; Here are fair schemes, to build the happy home, And children's work, and play, than work more precious still. Therefore do we make merry and are glad; No care to-day shall make us sad. We sing the song of wider brotherhood, Knit close for general good. We sing the higher social sense which binds Each for the general good, opposing minds. We hail thee, blessed Union, and are glad! And sing aloud together a new and cheerful song! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CRANES OF IBYCUS by EMMA LAZARUS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: ELMER BARR by EDGAR LEE MASTERS NOTHING WILL CURE THE SICK LION BUT TO EAT AN APE' by MARIANNE MOORE MEMOIR OF A PROUD BOY by CARL SANDBURG THE UNDERGRADUATE KILLED IN BATTLE; OXFORD, 1915 by GEORGE SANTAYANA |