<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Searchlights</h1><p class="inline-note" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> [Political morality differs from individual morality, because there is no power above the State. -- <em>General von Bernhardi</em>.] </p><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Shadow</span> by shadow, stripped for fight,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The lean black cruisers search the sea.</p><p class="line">Night-long their level shafts of light</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Revolve, and find no enemy.</p><p class="line">Only they know each leaping wave</p><p class="line">May hide the lightning, and their grave.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And in the land they guard so well</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Is there no silent watch to keep?</p><p class="line">An age is dying, and the bell</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Rings midnight on a vaster deep.</p><p class="line">But over all its waves, once more</p><p class="line">The searchlights move, from shore to shore.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And captains that we thought were dead,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And dreamers that we thought were dumb,</p><p class="line">And voices that we thought were fled,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Arise, and call us, and we come;</p><p class="line">And "Search in thine own soul," they cry;</p><p class="line">"For there, too, lurks thine enemy."</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Search for the foe in thine own soul,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The sloth, the intellectual pride;</p><p class="line">The trivial jest that veils the goal</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">For which our fathers lived and died;</p><p class="line">The lawless dreams, the cynic Art,</p><p class="line">That rend thy nobler self apart.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Not far, not far into the night,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">These level swords of light can pierce;</p><p class="line">Yet for her faith does England fight,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Her faith in this our universe,</p><p class="line">Believing Truth and Justice draw</p><p class="line">From founts of everlasting law;</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The law that rules the stars, our stay,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Our compass through the world's wide sea,</p><p class="line">The one sure light, the one sure way,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The one firm base of Liberty;</p><p class="line">The one firm road that men have trod</p><p class="line">Through Chaos to the throne of God.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Therefore a Power above the State,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The unconquerable Power, returns,</p><p class="line">The fire, the fire that made her great</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Once more upon her altar burns,</p><p class="line">Once more, redeemed and healed and whole,</p><p class="line">She moves to the Eternal Goal.</p></div><p class="byline">Alfred Noyes</p></body></html> · Great War