Soon we saw them marching by—
God! what a sight!—
Shoulders back, and heads erect,
Faces full of light.
Smiling like a morn in May,
Moving like a breeze,
Ten thousand men a day
Coming over seas.
Weary soldiers worn with war
Lifted up their eyes,
Shadows seemed to fade a bit,
Dawn was in the skies.
Hope sprang to troubled hearts,
Strength to tired knees:
Ten thousand men a day
Were coming over seas.
France and England swarmed with them,
Khaki-clad and young,
Filled with all the joy of life—
Into line they swung.
Waning valour rose anew
At the sight of these
Ten thousand men a day
Coming over seas.
Still they come—and still they come
In their strength and pride.
Victory with radiant mien
Marches on beside.
Victory is here to stay,
Every heart agrees,
With ten thousand men a day
Coming over seas.
‘AMERICA WILL NOT TURN BACK’
Woodrow Wilson
America will not turn back;
She did not idly start,
But weighed full carefully and well
Her grave, important part.
She chose the part of Freedom’s friend,
And will pursue it, to the end.
Great Liberty, who guards her gates,
Will shine upon her course,
And light the long, adventurous path
With radiance from God’s Source.
And though blood dye that ocean track,
America will not turn back.
She will not turn until that hour
When thunders through the world
The crash of tyrant monarchies
By Freedom’s hand down-hurled.
While Labour’s voice from sea to sea
Sings loud, ‘My country, ’tis of thee.’
Then will our fair Columbia turn,
While all wars’ clamours cease,
And with our banner lifted high
Proclaim, ‘Let there be Peace.’
But till that glorious day shall dawn
She will march on, she will march on.