Giving Thanks
Giving Thanks.
Thou that dost save through pain,
And dost, afflicting, bless,
We offer Thee from prostrate hearts
The Greater Thankfulness!
Lord, Thou hast humbled pride—
Hast shown the world at length
What ruthlessness may dwell with Power,
What bankruptcy with Strength;
And teaching us the scorn
Of trifles that beguile,
Hast given us, dear God, to live
When life is most worth while!
We thank Thee for the dream
That heroes dreamed of yore,
For the desire of good, the will
Earth's freedom to restore;
Spoiled children of the Past,
To-day, more nobly blest,
We thank Thee who hast wakened us,
And asked of us our best!
God of the young and brave
Who nothing know of fear,
Who hold the things that life outlast
Than life itself more dear,
We thank Thee that our souls
Are strong as theirs to give—
All, all we cherish most on earth,
That Liberty may live!
That we, O Good supreme!
Still through our tears can see
On the brow of Death an aureole
Of Immortality!
—Florence Earle Coates, in Philadelphia Public Ledger
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1927, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 96 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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