THE OUTLAWS

1914

THROUGH learned and laborious years
They set themselves to find

Fresh terrors and undreamed-of fears
To heap upon mankind.

All that they drew from Heaven above
Or digged from earth beneath,
They laid into their treasure-trove
And arsenals of death:

While, for well-weighed advantage sake,
Ruler and ruled alike

Built

up the faith they meant to break When the fit hour should strike.

They traded with the careless earth,
And good return it gave:

They plotted by their neighbour's hearth
The means to make him slave.

When all was ready to their hand
They loosed their hidden sword,
And utterly laid waste a land

Their oath was pledged to guard.

Coldly they went about to raise
To life and make more dread
Abominations of old days,

That men believed were dead.

They paid the price to reach their goal Across a world in flame;

But their own hate slew their own soul Before that victory came.

THE WHITE MAN'S BURDEN

1899

TAKE up the White Man's burdenSend forth the best ye breed

Go bind your sons to exile

To serve your captives' need; To wait in heavy harness,

On fluttered folk and wildYour new-caught, sullen peoples, Half-devil and half-child.

Take up the White Man's Burden—
In patience to abide,

To veil the threat of terror

And check the show of pride;

By open speech and simple,

An hundred times made plain,

To seek another's profit,
And work another's gain.

Take up the White Man's burden-
The savage wars of peace-
Fill full the mouth of Famine
And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch Sloth and heathen Folly

Bring all your hope to nought.

Take up the White Man's burden—
No tawdry rule of kings,

But toil of serf and sweeper-
The tale of common things.
The ports ye shall not enter,
The roads ye shall not tread,
Go make them with your living,
And mark them with your dead.

Take up the White Man's burden-
And reap his old reward:
The blame of those ye better,

The hate of those ye guard-
The cry of hosts ye
of hosts ye humour

(Ah, slowly!) toward the light:"Why brought ye us from bondage, "Our loved Egyptian night?"

Take up the White Man's burden-
Ye dare not stoop to less-
Nor call too loud on Freedom
To cloak your weariness;

By all ye cry or whisper,
By all ye leave or do,

The silent, sullen peoples

Shall weigh your Gods and you.

Take up the White Man's burden-
Have done with childish days-
The lightly proffered laurel,

The easy, ungrudged praise.
Comes now, to search your manhood
Through all the thankless years,
Cold, edged with dear-bought wisdom,
The judgment of your peers!

HYMN BEFORE ACTION

1896

THE earth is full of anger,

The seas are dark with wrath,

The Nations in their harness
Go up against our path:
Ere yet we loose the legions-
Ere yet we draw the blade,
Jehovah of the Thunders,
Lord God of Battles, aid!

High lust and forward bearing,
Proud heart, rebellious brow-
Deaf ear and soul uncaring,
We seek Thy mercy now!
The sinner that forswore Thee,
The fool that passed Thee by,
Our times are known before Thee-
Lord, grant us strength to die!

For those who kneel beside us
At altars not Thine own,
Who lack the lights that guide us,
Lord, let their faith atone!

If wrong we did to call them,

By honour bound they came; Let not Thy Wrath befall them, But deal to us the blame.

From panic, pride, and terror,
Revenge that knows no rein,
Light haste and lawless error,
Protect us yet again.

Cloke Thou our undeserving,
Make firm the shuddering breath,
In silence and unswerving
To taste Thy lesser death!

Ah, Mary pierced with sorrow,
Remember, reach and save
The soul that comes to-morrow
Before the God that gave!
Since each was born of woman,
For each at utter need-
True comrade and true foeman-
Madonna, intercede!

E'en now their vanguard gathers,
E'en now we face the fray-
As Thou didst help our fathers,
Help Thou our host to-day.
Fulfilled of signs and wonders,
In life, in death made clear-
Jehovah of the Thunders,

Lord God of Battles, hear!

A SONG AT COCK-CROW

1918

"Ille autem iterum negavit."

THE first time that Peter denied his Lord

He shrank from the cudgel, the scourge and the cord,

But followed far off to see what they would do,

Till the cock crew-till the cock crew

After Gethsemane, till the cock crew!