Songs of love and empire

SONGS OF LOVE AND EMPIRE

By E. NESBIT AUTHOR OF “LAYS AND LEGENDS,” “A POMANDER OF VERSE,” ETC WESTMINSTER ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO 1898
“After Sixty Years” appeared on June 22, 1897, in the Daily News ; “To the Queen of England” and many other verses in the Pall Mall Gazette ; “A Song of Peace and Honour” and “A Song of Trafalgar” in the Daily Chronicle , and certain other verses in the Athenæum . To the Editors of these papers my thanks are due.
TO HUBERT BLAND
TO you the harvest of my toil has come, Beause of all that lies its sheaves between; You taught me first what Love and Empire mean, And to your hands I bring my harvest home.



Come forth! the world’s aflame with flags and flowers, The shout of bells fills full the shattered air, This is the crown of all your golden hours, More than all other hours august and fair; This did the years prepare, A triumph for our Lady and our Queen, More rich than any king in any land hath seen.
Clothed are your streets with scarlet, gold, and blue, Flowers under foot and banners over head, And while your people’s voice storms Heaven for you About your way are voiceless blessings shed, And over you are spread Wide wings of love, free love, tamed to your hand, Love that gold cannot buy, nor Majesty command.
Not these mere visible millions only, share Your triumph—here all English hearts beat high, Nations far off your royal colours wear, And swell with unheard voice this loyal cry That strikes the English sky: A cloud of unseen witnesses is here To testify how great is England’s Queen, and dear.