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Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933

"The Poems of Henry Van Dyke"


Bring down the proud, lift up the poor,
Unequal ways amend;
By justice, nation-wide and sure,
America befriend!
Thro' all the waiting land proclaim
Thy gospel of good-will;
And may the music of Thy name
In every bosom thrill.
O'er hill and vale, from sea to sea.
Thy holy reign extend;
By faith and hope and charity,
America befriend!


THE RED FLOWER AND GOLDEN STARS

_These verses were written during the terrible world-war, and
immediately after. The earlier ones had to be unsigned because
America was still "neutral" and I held a diplomatic post. The
rest of them were printed after I had resigned, and was free to
speak out, and to take active service in the Navy, when America
entered the great conflict for liberty and peace on earth._
Avalon, February 22, 1920.

THE RED FLOWER
June, 1914

In the pleasant time of Pentecost,
By the little river Kyll,
I followed the angler's winding path
Or waded the stream at will,
And the friendly fertile German land
Lay round me green and still.
But all day long on the eastern bank
Of the river cool and clear,
Where the curving track of the double rails
Was hardly seen though near,
The endless trains of German troops
Went rolling down to Trier.


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