“Civil Wars”

“Civil Wars”

In “Civil Wars” the most uncivil deeds
Are daily done: harsh words are hotly said,
Uncharitable thought pervade men’s minds
And former friends are quickly changed to foes.
They are not times to calmly estimate 5
The good or evil in each character
That figures on the stage of public life.
But centuries roll on; then words and deeds,
And the consistency of each and all,
Are weigh’d in a just balance. We whose sires 10
Bought bravely on both sides, must surely wish
To judge impartially, e’en of those we deem
Espoused the erring side; and we lament
That men of the same household raised their arms
In deadly strife to strike their brothers down. 15
All war is dreadful; and the day must come
When nations, like to individual men,
Will settle their disputes by the wise plan
Of peaceful arbitration. War only proves
Which nation or which party longest can 20
Maintain the dreadful struggle. Might, not Right,
Decides the issue; whether right or wrong.
And purposes for which a nation may
Have pour’d out blood and treasure lavishly,
May all be lost, e’en in a time of peace. 25
Only when tyrants seek to trample down
Sweet Liberty by brutal force, should we
Bravely appeal to arms, to “do or die”
In her most sacred cause. If we were true
To her in thought and word and deed, when Peace 30
Blesses the land, we should rarely be call’d
By duty to repel brute force by force
Almost as brutal.
York and Lancaster,
With rival Roses, all were worthless kings;
The White did symbolise no purity; 35
The Red was but fit emblem of the blood
Shed to uphold the cause of tyranny;
And all who freely fought for either side
Deserved not Liberty. And yet those wars,
Though direful in their day, did help to rend


The chains of serfdom: and then the o’ergrown power
Of feudal barons did receive a check
From which it ne’er recover’d. Commerce then
Began to bind men in a better bond,
And all the blessed arts of peace did raise 45
Their minds to higher thoughts than those of war.
How every land has had to strive to gain
Its freedom, and to keep it when won!
It took old England long to prove that men
Were never made to be the slaves of kings. 50
Who wishes to preserve his native land,
Or that of his adoption, ever free
From every thraldom, he must do his best
To banish Error and to spread the Truth
Broadcast among the people, rich or poor; 55
And most of all, himself to lead a life
Of spotless innocence: then he,
By precept and example, will be one
Of the true patriots. ’T is in vain we cry
For Freedom if our souls are slaves to sin; 60
For righteousness alone can make us free,
And bring to all prosperity and peace.
Blank verse [in M/S], p. 49-52.

George Markham Tweddell