The year grows old, but Progress has no age: <br />Her flags go forward to increasing light; <br />Behind her lies the night; <br />It is a ceaseless war her soldiers wage, <br />And on her great and ever-widening sky, <br />'Onward!' is still the truceless battle cry. <br /> <br />The future is our kingdom, and, altho <br />Our hands unbuild the city they have built, <br />Yet here no blood is spilt <br />Nor swords uplifted for a nation's woe. <br />And, tho the columns and the temples pass, <br />Let none regret; let no man cry 'Alas!' <br /> <br />We do but cross a threshold into day. <br />Beauty we leave behind, <br />A deeper beauty on our path to find <br />And higher glories to illume the way. <br />The door we close behind us is the Past: <br />Our sons shall find a fairer door at last. <br /> <br />A world reborn awaits us. Years to come <br />Shall know its grace and good, <br />When wars shall end in endless brotherhood, <br />And birds shall build in cannon long since dumb. <br />Men shall have peace, though then no man may know <br />Who built this sunset city long ago. <br /> <br />Wherefore, be glad! Sublimer walls shall rise, <br />Which these do but foretell. <br />Be glad, indeed! For we have builded well <br />And set a star upon our western skies <br />Whose fire shall greaten on a land made free, <br />Till all that land be bright from sea to sea!<br /><br />George Sterling<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-builders-3/
