<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Towards the Light</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Once</span> o'er those downs wild beacons blazed,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Weird messengers of fate and fight,</p><p class="line"><em>She</em> was not wild, dismayed, or dazed,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">But calmly looked towards the light --</p><p class="line">Towards the light that springs from night,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">As sure as courage springs from faith.</p><p class="line">So now, when like some hideous wraith</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">War mocks, with bodings from the dead,</p><p class="line">Our moonlit harvests, swathe on swathe,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">May she, dear England, lift her head</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Towards the light, towards the light --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Praying that God defend the right.</p></div><p class="byline">WALTER SICHEL</p><em>Westminster Gazette, August</em> 10, 1914</body></html> · Great War