<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head"><em>Mare Liberum</em></h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">You</span> dare to say with perjured lips,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">"We fight to make the ocean free"?</p><p class="line"><em>You</em>, whose black trail of butchered ships</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Bestrews the bed of every sea</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Where German submarines have wrought</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Their horrors! Have you never thought, --</p><p class="line">What you call freedom, men call piracy!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Unnumbered ghosts that haunt the wave</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Where you have murdered, cry you down;</p><p class="line">And seamen whom you would not save,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Weave now in weed-grown depths a crown</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Of shame for your imperious head, --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">A dark memorial of the dead, --</p><p class="line">Women and children whom you left to drown.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Nay, not till thieves are set to guard</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">The gold, and corsairs called to keep</p><p class="line">O'er peaceful commerce watch and ward,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">And wolves to herd the helpless sheep,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Shall men and women look to thee --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Thou ruthless Old Man of the Sea --</p><p class="line">To safeguard law and freedom on the deep!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">In nobler breeds we put our trust:</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">The nations in whose sacred lore</p><p class="line">The "Ought" stands out above the "Must,"</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">And Honor rules in peace and war.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">With these we hold in soul and heart,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">With these we choose our lot and part,</p><p class="line">Till Liberty is safe on sea and shore.</p></div><p class="byline">Henry van Dyke</p><p> February 11, 1917 </p></body></html> · Great War