Poems (Kennedy)/The Answer
For works with similar titles, see The Answer.
THE ANSWER
(LIBERTY BOND, OCT., 1917)
WHAT am I? Listen: Where the ships,
Unwarned, go down as seas swirl green
And scattered corpses strew the tides,
I am—O ye who mourn the lost—
The answer to the submarine.
Unwarned, go down as seas swirl green
And scattered corpses strew the tides,
I am—O ye who mourn the lost—
The answer to the submarine.
Where Belgium's children sob and moan
'Neath heavy hand of German foe,
And starve and sicken day by day,
I am—mothers and fathers, hearken well—
I am the answer to their woe!
'Neath heavy hand of German foe,
And starve and sicken day by day,
I am—mothers and fathers, hearken well—
I am the answer to their woe!
Where fire and sword have swept the land
Down where the Serbian shadows fall,
And men are butchered like the beasts,
I am—O hearts with pity filled—
I am the answer to their call.
Down where the Serbian shadows fall,
And men are butchered like the beasts,
I am—O hearts with pity filled—
I am the answer to their call.
Where ravished girls and women lift
Their helpless pleading hands on high
'Neath skies of Flanders or of France,
I am—O women, women, everywhere—
I am the answer to their cry!
Their helpless pleading hands on high
'Neath skies of Flanders or of France,
I am—O women, women, everywhere—
I am the answer to their cry!
I am the answer unto these,
For gold can reach beyond the sea
And bind the demons war has loosed.
I am America's strong arm—
I am the Bond of Liberty!
For gold can reach beyond the sea
And bind the demons war has loosed.
I am America's strong arm—
I am the Bond of Liberty!