To Great Britain

Britain! you with a heart of flame One as in days gone by, You who honour your Nelson's name, How could you hear the word of shame Nor rise and give it the lie! Better endure war's worst of ills, The woe of a hundred fights, Than cower behind your banks and tills And smug with your money, your mines, your mills, Forswear a neighbour's rights. For how could you hope for a wide world's trust If, traitor by land and sea, You had let French lilies lie in the dust Nor challenged for peace the War-Lord's lust And struck for a Europe free. Fight and in hope, for battle is banned, The world shall yet rejoice, For the peoples rise in wrath to demand Henceforth no war shall trouble the land Except at a people's voice.