<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">A Schoolmaster in Picardy</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">MOONLESS, republican, an April night</p><p class="line">That the south-west wind burnishes until</p><p class="line">Thick-set, the stars blaze in it with the world's</p><p class="line">Purposeful thought, which Zoroaster learned</p><p class="line">And Abraham was wise in. This, entrenched</p><p class="line">In Picardy, he spells and understands.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Over him circle the Great Seven, sign</p><p class="line">Of Labour and Promise. Through a luminous field</p><p class="line">Of stars unspelled, dips the Sun's pathway; now</p><p class="line">It leaves the Lion and the King behind</p><p class="line">To enter on Astraea's realm of promise.</p><p class="line">Justice, the Virgin, rules here: in her lap</p><p class="line">Sits the world's hope: and shine in either hand</p><p class="line">The Scales of Judgment and the Spear that is</p><p class="line">A golden spear of corn, a Spike of Peace.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">A peasant and a village schoolmaster,</p><p class="line">Patiently he had tuned his little world</p><p class="line">Scholar by scholar, daily into accord</p><p class="line">With Peace, the music that he knew within him.</p><p class="line">Rumour of foes designing war against France</p><p class="line">Was bygone folly afar-off that he heard</p><p class="line">Smiling amid the garden of his school.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Far-off, till on that sudden First of August,</p><p class="line">France calling him with her trumpets, his spirit rang</p><p class="line">Out like a trumpet answering hers. Within him</p><p class="line">Sang a strange music that he heard amazed</p><p class="line">And knew the old happiness was at an end.</p><p class="line">He hated war, as though somewhere he had been</p><p class="line">A mother, matched a body with a soul</p><p class="line">And made them one together magically,</p><p class="line">To know the cost and meaning of a man.</p><p class="line">Peace was dearer to him than to another.</p><p class="line">Gave him her heart, and like a bride demanded</p><p class="line">What most he longed to give her, that she might</p><p class="line">Transform his ardours into life. But War</p><p class="line">Out of that happiness he was at home in,</p><p class="line">Like a pre-destined passion snatched him away.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Transplanted in the miry field of death,</p><p class="line">He and the stars night-long kept company.</p><p class="line">Often of her he loved War minded him:</p><p class="line">Different, yet with the same divine denial</p><p class="line">Of the great dreamy idols men bow down to</p><p class="line">With less than the whole passion of their being.</p><p class="line">She was a sister to his lady, Peace:</p><p class="line">And when her masterful accompaniment</p><p class="line">Challenged the singer in him with its strange</p><p class="line">Rhythms, his exulting spirit answering cried</p><p class="line">New pæans against it in the praise of Peace.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Through all this visionary April night</p><p class="line">He sees her face in memories. At Leipzig,</p><p class="line">He knows again how verily it was she</p><p class="line">Fanning the passion that swept Bonaparte</p><p class="line">Back over Rhine. At Strasburg, it was she</p><p class="line">Consenting not to a conquest that denied</p><p class="line">The only meaning common to the world.</p><p class="line">For as, when fond peace-makers intervene</p><p class="line">With "Recollect, the man is now your husband!"</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The white-faced woman, answering nothing, sets</p><p class="line">Her clear stern eyes aloof--again he saw</p><p class="line">Alsace joined to the Stranger. Faithful she,</p><p class="line">Silent, implacable, France in her heart.</p><p class="line">Fed there upon such puissant love as nation</p><p class="line">Knew never, France became Joan's holy</p><p class="line">France,</p><p class="line">Country of Freedom. And the emperor</p><p class="line">For whom she was the pledge of his dominion,</p><p class="line">Who upon her subjection had built up</p><p class="line">Towery dreams, would he but look, might see</p><p class="line">The real world reflected in her gaze</p><p class="line">Hateless, mockingly patient of his might.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">As Alsace, weariless through the long hours--</p><p class="line">The Plough driving its furrow to the zenith</p><p class="line">Earthward again turning, descending slow--</p><p class="line">He grapples with that false spirit who is</p><p class="line">The discord among men, and cries against</p><p class="line">Truth, in the name of some obedience it</p><p class="line">Would tune the whole world to--and cannot while</p><p class="line">Justice endure. He strives, and through the hours</p><p class="line">Peace urges and upholds him, striving: Peace</p><p class="line">That of all spirits is the only one</p><p class="line">That can, to every soul and tribe of Man,</p><p class="line">Give that to which his passionate spirit aspires--</p><p class="line">For it is in her eyes. Pitilessly</p><p class="line">They demand all the irrevocable whole</p><p class="line">Of worship..which long since he gave to her.</p><p class="line">Fighting, he fashions what the peace-mongers</p><p class="line">Had made impossible. Dismayed they heard</p><p class="line">The name of Justice, for they knew the price</p><p class="line">Was not in their white hands. The price slips not</p><p class="line">His bloody hands, nor his embattled brain</p><p class="line">That being sworn-in against injustice, dares</p><p class="line">Take the inane days and the nightmare nights</p><p class="line">When there are no stars in the monstrous dark</p><p class="line">That is too full of strange presences, bred</p><p class="line">Of horror and corruption.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line" style="text-indent: 26%">But to-night</p><p class="line">Is one great fellowship of stars. Already</p><p class="line">Justice commences. The whole world is flung</p><p class="line">Open as never yet to the indomitable</p><p class="line">Creators! Now they labour all its stuff</p><p class="line">With hands nor false nor blind, with thinking hands</p><p class="line">Spirit-imbued: they put themselves to it</p><p class="line">And it responds to them, and it becomes</p><p class="line">Human, and brings forth beauty to their touch:</p><p class="line">No here-and-there fantastic joy, but all</p><p class="line">A consummation and accomplishing!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Out of the love-dream of the adolescent</p><p class="line">Youth of Democracy a passion ripens,</p><p class="line">No more the formless shadow of Humanity,</p><p class="line">A fond vague aspiration cosmopolitan,</p><p class="line">But now the emerging purpose, whole and final,</p><p class="line">The Will to Justice, to begin together</p><p class="line">The complete life of Man not yet attempted!</p><p class="line">Long had we dreamed, too long had dallied dreaming.</p><p class="line">Almost content with hopes we had not realised--</p><p class="line">Embrace of bodiless joys--our immature</p><p class="line">Manhood spent for the barren behest of vain</p><p class="line">Visions, worshipping them in our folly, till</p><p class="line">Suddenly Death with hoarse voice shouting our names</p><p class="line">We awoke to the grim guns of the adversary.</p><p class="line">Only then, will against will, sprang into passionate</p><p class="line">Purpose effectual, Freedom, the lad's fancy,</p><p class="line">Freedom, youth's romance, now manhood's sworn</p><p class="line">Oath to accomplish or to perish doing it.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">German folk, in whom as in one strong man</p><p class="line">The despot's will to power is all embodied,</p><p class="line">Now rebuffed, as you shock yourselves against our</p><p class="line">Liberty-making will, another purpose</p><p class="line">Shall you espouse! This greater, this incredible</p><p class="line">Promise, to which we are now pledged, believing it--</p><p class="line">Freedom, a commonwealth built up of nations</p><p class="line">Bound together in faithfulness to uphold</p><p class="line">Justice against dissension and oppressors</p><p class="line">Sovereign over themselves and over the earth.</p><p class="line">Now together, we shall achieve what long syne</p><p class="line">England, France, America, each proposing</p><p class="line">Severally began and accomplished not! . . .</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The upholding Presences depart. The stars</p><p class="line">Pale: the rhythm flags: he is wrapped in loneliness.</p><p class="line">Now at its coming the drab daylight proves</p><p class="line">The night's promise inane with what a world--</p><p class="line">What an unroofed charnel-house of a world!</p><p class="line">But up above the horror on little wings,</p><p class="line">The larks, Franciscan-clad, sing canticles</p><p class="line">To the sun and praise him. Leaps this peasant heart</p><p class="line">With praise for the light of the sun returning:--</p><p class="line">"Praise for the earth-born spirit of Justice!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Praise</p><p class="line">For whoso is at home in poverty:</p><p class="line">Puts wealth away: success for himself abandons</p><p class="line">To be the enabling tool of that Prometheus</p><p class="line">Who, Titan though he be, requires a man</p><p class="line">To effect justice, without which the world</p><p class="line">Fails of its hope and still remains a dream.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">"Carol the larks above the cannon!--Praise,</p><p class="line">Praise for the justice that doth undismayed</p><p class="line">Its dread Augean labour in the stables</p><p class="line">Of massacre. Praise for the comrade-love</p><p class="line">Of men devoted who, having forgot</p><p class="line">To bargain, on the sill of battle are</p><p class="line">Clear prophecies of the peace that shall come after</p><p class="line">Builded upon their fear-forgetting gladness,</p><p class="line">Their surety of each other and the living</p><p class="line">Presence among them of Our Lady France.</p><p class="line">Praise, praise for these and Thee, O sun uprising,</p><p class="line">And for the day wherein we perish, praise!"</p></div></body></html> · Great War