Sons of the youth and the truth of the nation, <br />Ye that are met to remember the man <br />Whose valor gave birth to a people's salvation, <br />Honor him now; set his name in the van. <br />A nobleness to try for, <br />A name to live and die for— <br />The name of Washington. <br />Calmly his face shall look down through the ages— <br />Sweet yet severe with a spirit of warning; <br />Charged with the wisdom of saints and of sages; <br />Quick with the light of a life-giving morning. <br />A majesty to try for, <br />A name to live and die for— <br />The name of Washington! <br />Though faction may rack us, or party divide us, <br />And bitterness break the gold links of our story, <br />Our father and leader is ever beside us. <br />Live, and forgive! But forget not the glory <br />Of him whose height we try for, <br />A name to live and die for— <br />The name of Washington! <br />Still in his eyes shall be mirrored our fleeting <br />Days, with the image of days long ended; <br />Still shall those eyes give, immortally, greeting <br />Unto the souls from his spirit descended. <br />His grandeur we will try for, <br />His name we 'll live and die for— <br />The name of Washington!<br /><br />George Parsons Lathrop<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-name-of-washington/
