Part 7 (1/2)

II

South and North and West and East Watch the ravens flock to feast, Dense as round some death-struck beast, Black as night is black.

Stand fast as faith together In stress of treacherous weather When hounds and wolves break tether And Treason guides the pack.

III

Lovelier than thy seas are strong, Glorious Ireland, sword and song Gird and crown thee: none may wrong, Save thy sons alone.

The sea that laughs around us Hath sundered not but bound us: The sun's first rising found us Throned on its equal throne.

IV

North and South and East and West, All true hearts that wish thee best Beat one tune and own one quest, Staunch and sure as steel.

G.o.d guard from dark disunion Our threefold State's communion, G.o.d save the loyal Union, The royal Commonweal!

EAST TO WEST

Sunset smiles on sunrise: east and west are one, Face to face in heaven before the sovereign sun.

From the springs of the dawn everlasting a glory renews and transfigures the west, From the depths of the sunset a light as of morning enkindles the broad sea's breast, And the lands and the skies and the waters are glad of the day's and the night's work done.

Child of dawn, and regent on the world-wide sea, England smiles on Europe, fair as dawn and free.

Not the waters that gird her are purer, nor mightier the winds that her waters know.

But America, daughter and sister of England, is praised of them, far as they flow: Atlantic responds to Pacific the praise of her days that have been and shall be.

So from England westward let the watchword fly, So for England eastward let the seas reply; Praise, honour, and love everlasting be sent on the wind's wings, westward and east, That the pride of the past and the pride of the future may mingle as friends at feast, And the sons of the lords of the world-wide seas be one till the world's life die.

INSCRIPTIONS

FOR THE FOUR SIDES OF A PEDESTAL

I

Marlowe, the father of the sons of song Whose praise is England's crowning praise, above All glories else that crown her, sweet and strong As England, clothed with light and fire of love, And girt with might of pa.s.sion, thought, and trust, Stands here in spirit, sleeps not here in dust.

II

Marlowe, a star too sovereign, too superb, To fade when heaven took fire from Shakespeare's light, A soul that knew but song's triumphal curb And love's triumphant bondage, holds of right His pride of place, who first in place and time Made England's voice as England's heart sublime.