THE POEM "HOPE"

Bay of Plenty Beacon, 2 May 1941, Page 5

THE POEM "HOPE"

QUOTED BY MR CHURCHILL AN INSPIRATION TO' THE , DESPONDENT The verses quoted by Mr Churchill at the conclusion of his broadcast address 1 arc taken from the well, known poem "Hope," by Arthur Hugh Clough (1819-1861). While the last two verscsi, quoted, by Mr Churchill as a reply to the lines from Longfellow sicnt him ?n a private letter by President Roiose--velt and published at t'he •time, will be recognised as singularly appropriate to the present crisis, the whole poem is an inspiration to all who are inclined to despond over events, and is accordingly given here in full:— Say not the struggle nought availeth, The labour and thei wounds are vain, The enemy faints not, nor faileth* And as things have been they remain. If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars; It may be, in .your smoke concealed, Your comrades chase; e'en now the fliers, And, but for you, possess the field. Then follow the lines quoted by Mr Churchill : For while l the tired waves, -vainly breaking, Seem here no painful inch to gain, Far back, through creeks and inlets making, Comes silent, flooding in, the UTain. And not by eastern windows only, When daylight comes,, comes in the light, In front, the sun climbs slow, how slowly, But westward, look, the land is bright.