| George Herbert Clarke, ed. (1873–1953). A Treasury of War Poetry. 1917. |
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| 2. “Liberty Enlightening the World” |
| | | By Henry van Dyke |
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| THOU warden of the western gate, above Manhattan Bay, | |
| The fogs of doubt that hid thy face are driven clean away: | |
| Thine eyes at last look far and clear, thou liftest high thy hand | |
| To spread the light of liberty world-wide for every land. | |
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| No more thou dreamest of a peace reserved alone for thee, | 5 |
| While friends are fighting for thy cause beyond the guardian sea: | |
| The battle that they wage is thine; thou fallest if they fall; | |
| The swollen flood of Prussian pride will sweep unchecked o’er all. | |
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| O cruel is the conquer-lust in Hohenzollern brains: | |
| The paths they plot to gain their goal are dark with shameful stains: | 10 |
| No faith they keep, no law revere, no god but naked Might;— | |
| They are the foemen of mankind. Up, Liberty, and smite! | |
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| Britain, and France, and Italy, and Russia newly born, | |
| Have waited for thee in the night. Oh, come as comes the morn. | |
| Serene and strong and full of faith, America, arise, | 15 |
| With steady hope and mighty help to join thy brave Allies. | |
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| O dearest country of my heart, home of the high desire, | |
| Make clean thy soul for sacrifice on Freedom’s altar-fire: | |
| For thou must suffer, thou must fight, until the warlords cease, | |
And all the peoples lift their heads in liberty and peace.
April 10, 1917 | 20 |
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