"Lay not to me your hollow
And broken words of faith—
To sin that good may follow
No law of mine," He saith.
"If, 'twixt your tribes and nations,
There lives no law but might,
Not myriad incantations
Can make your evil right.
"Ye call me 'God of battle';
I weary while ye slay.
Are ye my hornèd cattle
To find no better way?"
ONE COUNTRY—ONE SACRIFICE
(ENSIGN WORTH BAGLEY, MAY 11, 1898)
In one rich drop of blood, ah, what a sea
Of healing! Thou, sweet boy, wert first to fall
In our new war; and thou wert Southron all!
There is no North, no South, remembering thee.
"WHEN WITH THEIR COUNTRY'S ANGER"
When with their country's anger
They flame into the fight,—
On sea, in treacherous forest,
To strike with main and might,—
He shows the gentlest mercy
Who rains the deadliest blows;
Then quick war's hell is ended,
And home the hero goes.
