O Land Whose Beacon Lights!

Life holds that dearer than itself, and men have thrown
God's gift down, and a rarer gift the world has known;
Yet they who fight for right and truth in open fray
May question well the fearful truth, grim war's relay.

O land whose beacon lights the flood of years, storm-tossed,
Stain not that tide with needless blood, lest all be lost!
Let not your beacon, dull with shame, withdraw its light,
Your sons, apostate, sign their name, Oppression's might,

Nor sons of those who gave their lives for liberty
Give theirs to swell a nation's loot beyond the sea,
And rest in alien soil that never can be ours,
Whatever the decrees of war or earthly powers.

When everything else fails, I use Poetry. Written by Julia E. Goodwin some hundred years ago. Inspired by the Philippine-American War. Beautiful Poetry. Read it and let your american friends read it too.