THIS FOR MY SON
A crowded theater with a girl
And yet these two alone---
A dance so selfishly shared---
A worriless ring on the telephone.
All the carefree days and nights
For which one works and prays and fights.
THIS FOR MY SON
A campfire brighter with the joy
Of youths joining in a song---
A quiet night with one's own thoughts
In attempt to reason right from wrong.
For in one's mind must this be born---
From darkness thus can truth be torn.
THIS FOR MY SON
He will hear what we have done,
But there will be no shame.
In his heart he can but feel
That he would do the same.
He would take lives and destroy
With all the horror we employ,
EVEN FOR HIS SON
Liberty and freedom, timeworn words
Which mean no more than I have said.
He'll see that my desires for him
Are only had where where free men tread---
America---that we have known
And he will know when he is grown.
THIS FOR MY SON |
ETERNAL NIGHT
Dusk's film clouds the eyes of earth,
Nor yet can humans see
The flick'ring candles of men's souls
Born to immortality.
The sky's own lantern soon will
Beckon, and light the way
For all, into infinity,
Which begins at end of Day.
God lets us see the promise--
Our selfish sun now sets,
And we can see beyond the haze
Of our lowly, worldly limits.
Within each man the flame flares,
Hidden by a fleshly home.
We must go to join the stars,
For such are we when Night has come.
The gleam is freed--takes its place
In the eternal flight.
So loose us now and send us forth;
Thus take us unto thyself, Night.
Now Night is here--faint our light,
But stronger sure to grow.
That we are here, always with God,
The future nights will let them know.
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