<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Aceldama</h1><p class="byline"> DR. GEORGE F. BUTLER <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/><span class="smallcaps">IN The Scoop, The Chicago Press Club's Magazine</span></p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">STILL breaks the Holy morn, to soothe the care</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And labor of the world; hushed is the grove, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And overhead the vireo's note of love </p><p class="line">Floats like a joyful utterance of prayer. </p><p class="line">Soft insect murmurs fill the enchanted air. </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Into a fairer day earth seems to move, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And statelier thoughts lift mortal sense above </p><p class="line">Life's sin and pain; the sorrow and despair. </p><p class="line">But hark! where now the noonday beams are shed </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">In sorrowing Europe, trembles a sound </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Of thunder, and the land with dews of blood </p><p class="line">Is drenched; while o'er the dying and the dead </p><p class="line">Fate turns to weep o'er every pleading wound--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Can earth o'ercome the evil with the good?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But yesterday two monarchs, held in check </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Like bloodhounds in the leash, broke forth before </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The eyes of Christendom, and in the roar </p><p class="line">Of lurid conflict heard not the wild shriek </p><p class="line">Of outraged millions--now again the wreck </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Of crushed humanity must strew death's shore </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">With ghastly ruin crying evermore, </p><p class="line">"Shame! Wretch of mortal form and vulture's beak--</p><p class="line">To ask God's aid and Christ's! 0, hour of woe! </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Cover, O night of ages, the dread birth </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Of man's Imperial hate! Let kings go down </p><p class="line">That peoples way aspire and live and own </p><p class="line">A holier stature, and this crimsoned earth </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Drink the pure light of Freedom's afterglow!"</p></div><p>Sunday in August, 1914</p></body></html> · Great War