No peace bought for us by the martyr dead Of countries reeking red; No peace flung to us from the tyrant’s hand, Sop to a servile land. Our Peace the State’s strong arm holds high and free, The “placid Peace she seeks in liberty,” Yea, “with a sword.” Help us, O Lord! O Massachusetts! In your golden prime, Not with the bribe of time You won her; subtle words and careful ways In perilous days. No! By your valor; by the patriot blood Of your brave sons poured in a generous flood. Peace, with a sword! Help us, O Lord. Fling out the banners that defied a king; The tattered colors bring That made a nation one from sea to sea, In godly liberty. Unsheathe the patriot sword in time of need, O Massachusetts, shouting in the lead— “Peace, with a sword! Help us, O Lord!” THE CRY Hark! From the trampled gardens once so fair, From hateful trenches in the harried fields, From vineyards wasting in polluted air Their rich, ungarnered yields, There comes the piteous, instinctive cry Of soldiers in their lonely agony— “Mother!” “Mère!” Alas! Those bonny yellow heads low-lying! Blue anguished eyes—like eyes beloved and near! Weak, fevered lips with painful effort sighing That word of all most dear— So like on every tongue, so understood, Sign of our common, outraged brotherhood— “Mutter!” “Mither!” They cry to Her—the Pity of the race, The fostering Care from which they marched afar, The Sympathy forsaken, and the grace Of Love betrayed by war. In this their bitter hour the brave men cry To her who bore them, piteously to die— “Madre!” “Mat!” And she at home, the pale, heart-broken mother— She who had nought to do with war and strife— Knows Cain and Abel, brother slaying brother! Sad Eve who gave them life Must watch and wait and weep and work, and hear Those kindred voices crying to her ear— “Mutter!” “Maman!” Oh, hearken, human Love! unselfish, high, Impartial as the love of mothers good! Not vainly died the lads, if their last cry Prove us our brotherhood; If horror so abound for kindred slain, Man ends forever War, the crime of Cain. “Mother!” CRUSADERS