AN ODE ON WOODROW WILSON AND THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Reading edition
I.
In all the cycles past the good and wise Have dreamed of Wisdom’s way; The prophets’ eyes Could see, and they foretold the day, The glory of the coming paradise; And higher far than lofty prophets bold, In every stage Of human rage, The God of hosts hath willed his vast, united fold.
Congressman Upshaw, after a personal appeal to Mr. Wilson on February 17, 1923, wired the author: “Hard to overcome fixed rule of former President,” in refusing his photograph and autograph for publication; but we have the pleasure of presenting both to his friends.
II.
And poets great have felt the need, As plain they saw the greed Of men and nations waging war, They knew not why, yet brothers all. Their voice is heard from heights afar; They tell us why the peoples rise and fall; They sang and on the hill tops wrought, While dupe and knave went down; They knew the last of Folly’s battles would be fought.
III.
Obstructionists abide, alas in State, The demagogue and fool, The dullard in his school, Who far behind the generation plods, Yet at God’s leader casts rough stones and clods— Wise men foresee their fate. Without insight they still refuse to follow The men inspired, high Heaven’s men; Preferring far their narrow ken, To vaunt themselves, though cause of fearful sorrow. The while the great move on In God’s high road, With heavy load; Becoming weary and living lone, Oft forced to suffer and to moan— At last to die! But Heaven clears away the cloud from the martyr’s sky.
IV.
The race of men is a long and wondrous evolution; The patient soul who kens, and God’s great goal, Is benefactor best, the man of resolution To mark and void each shoal, Like pilots good of worthy ships, Whose eyes are used far more than lips. He counter vessels must prevent, And every vexing accident, By night and day upon the deep. Men’s revolutions, small or great, and why, The leader must discern and know, And records old, aye currents vital passing by, To make them rightly flow. And never was the pregnant day, nor hour, When one of such transcendent power Was needed by the race, With more than human grace. Let men in church and state be confident, He was the man of men pre-eminent.
V.
The future holds for him the fullest meed, For best of deeds before he fell a prey, The patient man, still prophet of the perfect day, When none shall be a slave; And none in need. American, And cosmopolitan, He made and mounted the on-sweeping wave. No ruler with so good and vast a scheme; In labors so engrossed for noblest creed— A wide and warring world to win and save, Fulfillment of the greatest dream, To give the nations peace and prosperity supreme.