Golden Stars

It was my lot of late to travel farThrough all America's domain,A willing, gray-haired servitorBearing the Fiery Cross of righteous war.And everywhere, on mountain, vale and plain,In crowded street and lonely cottage door,I saw the symbol of the bright blue star.Millions of stars! Rejoice, dear land, rejoiceThat God hath made thee great enough to giveBeneath thy starry flag unfurledA gift to all the world,--Thy living sons that Liberty might live.

It seems but yesterday they sallied forthBoys of the east, the west, the south, the north,High-hearted, keen, with laughter and with song,Fearless of lurking danger on the sea,Eager to fight in Flanders or in FranceAgainst the monstrous German wrong,And sure of victory!Brothers in soul with British and with FrenchThey held their ground in many a bloody trench;And when the swift word came--Advance!Over the top they went through waves of flame,--Confident, reckless, irresistible,Real Americans,--Their rush was never stayedUntil the foe fell back, defeated and dismayed.O land that bore them, write upon thy rollOf battles wonTo liberate the human soul,Chateau Thierry and Saint MihielAnd the fierce agony of the Argonne;Yea, count among thy little rivers, dearBecause of friends whose feet have trodden there,The Marne, the Meuse, and the Moselle.

Now the vile swordIn Potsdam forged and bathed in hell,Is beaten down, the victory givenTo the sword forged in faith and bathed in heaven.Now home again our heroes come:Oh, welcome them with bugle and with drum,Ring bells, blow whistles, make a joyful noiseUnto the Lord,And welcome home our blue-star boys,Whose manhood has made knownTo all the world America,Unselfish, brave and free, the Great Republic,Who lives not to herself alone.

But many a lad we holdDear in our heart of heartsIs missing from the home-returning host.Ah, say not they are lost,For they have found and given their lifeIn sacrificial strife:Their service stars have changed from blue to gold!That sudden rapture took them far away,Yet are they here with us to-day,Even as the heavenly stars we cannot seeThrough the bright veil of sunlight,Shed their influence stillOn our vexed life, and promise peaceFrom God to all men of good will.

What wreaths shall we entwineFor our dear boys to deck their holy shrine?Mountain-laurel, morning-glory,Goldenrod and asters blue,Purple loosestrife, prince's-pine,Wild-azalea, meadow-rue,Nodding-lilies, columbine,--All the native blooms that grewIn these fresh woods and pastures new,Wherein they loved to ramble and to play.Bring no exotic flowers:America was in their hearts,And they are oursFor ever and a day.

O happy warriors, forgive the tearFalling from eyes that miss you:Forgive the word of grief from mother-lipsThat ne'er on earth shall kiss you;Hear only what our hearts would have you hear,--Glory and praise and gratitude and prideFrom the dear country in whose cause you died.Now you have run your race and won your prize,Old age shall never burden you, the fearsAnd conflicts that beset our lingering yearsShall never vex your souls in Paradise.Immortal, young, and crowned with victory,From life's long battle you have found release.And He who died for all on CalvaryHas welcomed you, brave soldiers of the cross,Into eternal Peace.

Come, let us gird our loins and lift our load,Companions who are left on life's rough road,And bravely take the way that we must treadTo keep true faith with our beloved dead.To conquer war they dared their lives to give,To safeguard peace our hearts must learn to live.Help us, dear God, our forward faith to hold!We want a better world than that of old.Lead us on paths of high endeavor,Toiling upward, climbing ever,Ready to suffer for the right,Until at last we gain a loftier height,More worthy to beholdOur guiding stars, our hero-stars of gold.

Ode for the Memorial Service,Princeton University, December 15, 1918.