| George Herbert Clarke, ed. (1873–1953). A Treasury of War Poetry. 1917. |
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| 1. The Choice |
| | | By Rudyard Kipling |
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THE AMERICAN SPIRIT SPEAKS:
TO the Judge of Right and Wrong | |
| With Whom fulfillment lies | |
| Our purpose and our power belong, | |
| Our faith and sacrifice. | |
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| Let Freedom’s land rejoice! | 5 |
| Our ancient bonds are riven; | |
| Once more to us the eternal choice | |
| Of good or ill is given. | |
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| Not at a little cost, | |
| Hardly by prayer or tears, | 10 |
| Shall we recover the road we lost | |
| In the drugged and doubting years. | |
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| But after the fires and the wrath, | |
| But after searching and pain, | |
| His Mercy opens us a path | 15 |
| To live with ourselves again. | |
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| In the Gates of Death rejoice! | |
| We see and hold the good— | |
| Bear witness, Earth, we have made our choice | |
| For Freedom’s brotherhood. | 20 |
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| Then praise the Lord Most High | |
| Whose Strength hath saved us whole, | |
| Who bade us choose that the Flesh should die | |
| And not the living Soul! | |
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