THE MAN FORSWORN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2273, 6 October 1914, Page 6

THE MAN FORSWORN

,Who draws to-day the unrighteous eword ? • v , ' Behold him stand, the Sjan Forsworn/ Tho warrior 'of the faithless word, . The pledge disowned, the covenant torn, : Who prates of honour, truth, and trust, . Ere ho profanes them in the dust. When to yon fabric grey in fame, That Windsor lifts against the sky,, ■ In martial cloak the Kaiser came, We did not dream it cloaked a spy; ,•;■■■' Yet there he sat, as now we know, .'■ v , A guest, a kinsman, and a. foe. Fi'ance was a gallant foe and fair, That looked us proudly in the face, With her frank eyes and freeborn air, . i .'.'■ . .•'; And valour half-concealed in grace. :. .,■■ ■'. Noblest of all with whom we strove, ■ At last she gives us noble love. ..■ But he that took our proffered hand, ~ .' Thinking to take our birthright too. .. .•'■■■■ 'He, in this hospitable land, Bore him as only dasta'itds do. Here, where the Earth still nurtures men, ' ' ■. .His hand shall soil not ours again. : - -We know his people great and strong j '■" •'■'.■' On such as these we cast no slur; Our wonder is that they so long Suffer iingalled his bit and spur. -."". . ■'■ •■; 'Tis with no heart of joy that we "> .-Arise to smite them on the sea. v .. . '.■'. , ■'. Glory we count of lesser worth " Than wife and babe and hearth and home; . Theirs is-the'mandate speeding forth '..',■'■ ..,,. .Our steps of thunder on the foam;' . ; ■ :-'!-- •; For them we fight, for them we stand, . ' ■ .-■■. -Yea, and for, faith.'twixt land and land. \ ■'■■'}■', 'You that have linked.your.might with ours, :'. ('';■•';' To break his.pride .who,breaks the laws, •'' i ::,,,'. You .wear to-day; 'mid perjured Powers, ' ; .'■:■:, The , armour.of a spotless cause; ■;'. :■■•,:. Your legends march in Truth arrayed, ■ ■ ;..'.' ■■■■, iAnd knightly Honour whets your blade .•:;.;.; -From Baltic';or Biscayan shores, ■ ' :•"' '■ Where Loire to the Atlantic runs, . ... : Where Volga, to tho Caspian pours, / ■'"■ .'.'■ You have not poured in vain your sons V -\ '■■'■'} From laughing lands' of Rhone and Seine • . ■ . ■:'••■■ : ';''•■'■.-You have not poured your sons in vain.' : '■ •■'.' ; Let, us a ; League ,, of Man proclaim .. '■'/.' ':■'■"'■-, such.knavery neath a crown ..,'. -'■■'.'■!■ 'As would be rightly held to shame . >;',. :■ ■■, A swineherd and his fellow clown; , .. .' ';?': Shall all the false and creeping things c- : •■•-_.. Find a;-last- refuge among L.ings?. v '■■ ; 'At least, on this unageing throne, ' , :'-'.'- ; ■■/'■■ That baffles the-.long siege of Time, ,- ■'/'■■ "•■..'. We have a monarch of our own_ . ■ . ■ ■ '.[■'■ ■' ■-■'. ,- To whom a crime is still a crime; ~-/ ' . 'And pure in aim there sits afar - ■ • 'V ■. ;. The patient, silent, storm-worn Tsar. :-' :! ''' To one sole mortal it remained, •■' :..-... .•••;,, ; : One rash insulter of the Earth, '■ , , \ ■■ . ■•',■■' To teach the world wherein he reigned '..■'■ .....How much a Kaiser's word is , worth. ' •".',''' \ : A. Kaiser's' word, a Caitiff's vow! ; ; ' Well have we learned their value now. ■ Over the : Hand and kindly Day ' . -~.,. •. ■ ; ,\i Unseasonable, Night ho flings; :. Sinister; darkness blear and-grey, .: . . ,\. ' •'■;■; .'A horror of malignant'wings.. , ■' -. '■'•Pain and red havoc he bestows ~';' , ■'•■■;•■ / ' ; On them that-only ask repose. ' ■'" ' . ... / . . ■ He is not hungrier for your lands . ', V- Than he is'thirsty for your seas. . . . Smite him with all your thundroushands •'..'' ■;, Fight him and smite him to his kn<es — ■ '..- ;. '.■■'•-. ■ 'You that on him and falsehood hurled '-.".'■ ■■'~' Shall guard the fortress of the world. . ' / ■-.•■' . ' —William Watson. .