Page:Patriotic pieces from the Great War, Jones, 1918.djvu/207

These were not Italy's saints, nor yet the gods,
Majestic, calm, unmoved, of ancient Greece.
No, they were only townsfolk, common people,
And graced a common church—that stood and stood
Through war and fire and pestilence, through ravage
Of time and kings and conquerors, till at last
The century dawned which promised common men
The things they long had hoped for!
O the time
Showed a fair face, was daughter of great Demos,
Flamboyant, bore a light, laughed loud and free,
And feared not any man—until—until—
There sprang a mailed figure from a throne,
Gorgeous, imperial, glowing—a monstrosity
Magnificent as death and as death terrible.
It walked these aisles and saw the humble ones,
Peter, the fisherman, James and John the shopkeepers,
And Mary, sweet, gay, innocent and poor.
Loud did it laugh and long. "These peaceful folk!
What place have they in my great armed world?"