And gentlest deed and noblest thought,
Into the common day are brought.
Man lives at heaven's gate, and dies
For fellow-man with joyful cries.
II
And all the while hell's imps are free
To work their will with fearful glee.
The beast in man anew is born;
Revenge, and lust, and pride, and scorn,
And glory false, and hateful hate,
All join to desecrate the state.
THE BLAMELESS KNIGHT
Where led the bright and blameless plume
We charged the shameless foe;
Whether to win or lose our doom
We never cared to know.
His voice was as a scimitar,
Superb and sure his stroke;
And where he came their men-of-war
In panic fury broke.
Once more we gathered for the fight
Against the ranks of shame;
Again we called the blameless knight
And cheered him as he came.
But, God of grace! not with us now
Our valiant knight doth go:
A plume of black above his brow—
He leads the shameless foe!
