Classic Poem

The men of the earth said: “We must war
—As the men of the earth have warred
'Tis ours to wield on the battlefield
—The unrelenting sword.”
But they who had seen the valiant die,
The fathers of men, they answered, “Why?”

The men of the earth said: “We must arm,
—For so we would reveal
The nobler part of the human heart,
—The love of the nation's weal.”
But they who had sung their lullaby,
The mothers of men, they answered, “Why?”

The men of the earth said: “We must fight,
—For so the fit survive;
By the jungle law of fang and claw
—The strong are kept alive.”
But a crippled, cankered progeny,
The sons of the culls, they answered, “Why?”

The men of the earth said: “We must fall,
—And falling build the road
O'er which the race with quickening pace
—Can find its way to God.”
But down from a cross uplifted high,
The Savior of men, he answered, “Why?”

The men of the earth said: “We must war
As the men of the earth have warred
'Tis ours to wield on the battlefield
The unrelenting sword.”
But they who had seen the valiant die,
The fathers of men, they answered, “Why?”

The men of the earth said: “We must arm,
For so we would reveal
The nobler part of the human heart,
The love of the nation's weal.”
But they who had sung their lullaby,
The mothers of men, they answered, “Why?”

The men of the earth said: “We must fight,
For so the fit survive;
By the jungle law of fang and claw
The strong are kept alive.”
But a crippled, cankered progeny,
The sons of the culls, they answered, “Why?”

The men of the earth said: “We must fall,
And falling build the road
O'er which the race with quickening pace
Can find its way to God.”
But down from a cross uplifted high,
The Savior of men, he answered, “Why?”