A Voice From The West poem – Alfred Austin

What is the voice I hear

On the wind of the Western Sea?

Sentinel, listen from out Cape Clear

And say what the voice may be.

“’Tis a proud, free people calling loud to a people proud and free.

“And it says to them, `Kinsmen, hail!

We severed have been too long.

Now let us have done with a worn-out tale-

The tale of an ancient Wrong;

And our friendship last long as Love doth last,

and be stronger than Death is strong!”’

Answer them, “Sons of the self-same race,

And blood of the self-same clan,

Let us speak with each other face to face,

And answer man to man;

And loyally love and trust each other as none but free men can.

“So fling them out to the breeze,

Shamrock, Thistle, and Rose!

And the Star-Spangled Banner unfurl with these,

A message to friends and foes,

Wherever the sails of peace are seen and wherever the war-wind blows.

“A message to bond and thrall to wake:

For wherever we come, we twain,

The throne of the tyrant shall rock and quake,

And his menace be void and vain;

For you are lords of a strong, young land, and we are lords of the main.”

Yes, this is the voice on the bluff March gale:

“We severed have been too long.

But now we have done with a worn-out tale,

The tale of an ancient Wrong;

And our friendship shall last long as Love doth last, and be stronger than Death is strong!”