Angela Morgan: The Summons

====

Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

American writers on peace and against war

Women writers on peace and war

Angela Morgan: Selections on war and peace

====

Angela Morgan
The Summons

Hate is the thing that will save mankind;
We love too much in our witless way,
Pulpit, sinner and state allied,
We are far too smug in our peace and pride,
Nation of blind men leading blind
We are all too dull in the psalms we say,
In the hymns we sing and the prayers we pray –
Insults flung in the face of Him
And His flaming cherubim.
Hate is the call we are waiting for,
Trumpeting high o’er the boom of war,
A hate so strong and a hate so wide
No wrong can stand in its ruthless tide.
Hate of tyranny, hate of lies.
Hate of the world’s hypocrisies.
Hate of arrogance, hate of sword.
Hate of systems that mock the Lord;
Hate of prayers to the Prince of Peace
For terror and war to cease.

Love is the thing that will save mankind.
We hate too much in the sordid way,
Pulpit, sinner and state the same
Our wrath is fanning the brutal flame : –
Hate of Germany, furious, blind;
Hate of English, or hate of Slav;
Hate of foes and the gains they have…
We are far too fierce in the prayers we pray
In the deeds we do and the things we say –
Insults flung in the face of God
While war is drenching the sod!
Love is the call we are waiting for,
Trumpeting high o’er the boom of war –
Not love that sits in a silken pew
And plays the game of the fattened few
Pleading for peace that man must make
While shells are sold for the Lord Christ’s sake,
But love that hates with a hate divine
The savage call of the firing line
Where man, whose every pulse is love
Must kill, kill! For the kings above;
Kill, kill! Though his sad heart break.
Kill, kill! For his country’s sake.
Hate is the power that will save the world;
We hold too hard to the outworn things.
Nations bending before the rod
In the blood-red path their fathers trod.
Keeping the time-worn flag unfurled: –
Love of “honor” and love of kings,
Love of war and the wrath it brings.
Love of money and love of creed
In face of the sad world’s need.

Hate is the summons, loud and late…
Hate that is love, love that is hate.
A hate so strong and a love so wide
No wrong can stand in their ruthless tide.
Love for the peoples wrecked by war,
Hate of the goals they grovel for.
Hate of jealousy, hate of strife.
Love for the humblest human life.
O Christ, most passionate Lover of all,
Help us to answer thy trumpet call…
Rally all nations under the sun.
Thy warring peoples pledge as one
In a great world-oath of brotherhood
To toil for the Future’s good.
If we hate with a hate that is pure enough.
And love with a love that is sure enough.
Thy Dream for man shall yet have birth.
Thy kingdom come on earth!