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1914 THROUGH learned and laborious years | |
They set themselves to find | |
Fresh terrors and undreamed-of fears | |
To heap upon mankind. | |
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All that they drew from Heaven above | 5 |
Or digged from earth beneath, | |
They laid into their treasure-trove | |
And arsenals of death: | |
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While, for well-weighed advantage sake, | |
Ruler and ruled alike | 10 |
Built up the faith they meant to break | |
When the fit hour should strike. | |
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They traded with the careless earth, | |
And good return it gave: | |
They plotted by their neighbours hearth | 15 |
The means to make him slave. | |
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When all was ready to their hand | |
They loosed their hidden sword, | |
And utterly laid waste a land | |
Their oath was pledged to guard. | 20 |
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Coldly they went about to raise | |
To life and make more dread | |
Abominations of old days, | |
That men believed were dead. | |
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They paid the price to reach their goal | 25 |
Across a world in flame; | |
But their own hate slew their own soul | |
Before that victory came. | |
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