1914 I: Peace Poem by Rupert Brooke

1914 I: Peace

Rating: 3.2


Now, God be thanked Who has watched us with His hour,
And caught our youth, and wakened us from sleeping,
With hand made sure, clear eye, and sharpened power,
To turn, as swimmers into cleanness leaping,
Glad from a world grown old and cold and weary,
Leave the sick hearts that honour could not move,
And half-men, and their dirty songs and dreary,
And all the little emptiness of love!

Oh! we, who have known shame, we have found release there,
Where there's no ill, no grief, but sleep has mending,
Naught broken save this body, lost but breath;
Nothing to shake the laughing heart's long peace there
But only agony, and that has ending;
And the worst friend and enemy is but Death.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Cynthia Buhain-baello 28 March 2012

This poem is a wonderful example of an excellent message and the bonus is - it is so well-written!

18 17 Reply
Kebe Iwara 29 March 2012

Emotion is not left behind. Nice

13 21 Reply
Jenny Doughty 17 December 2006

A poem very much of its time - but there's a typo here. The first line should read 'Now, God be thanked Who has matched us with His hour, ' not 'watched', which makes no sense if you think about it.

13 21 Reply
Kevin Straw 28 March 2009

'all the little emptiness of love' - what a horrid phrase!

10 23 Reply
Lehlogonolo Phora 29 March 2012

a very beautiful poem to kick start a day here in South Africa

13 19 Reply
MAHTAB BANGALEE 21 January 2023

death is worst result of life! ! wow great

0 1 Reply
Bruk Renwick 21 January 2023

here is an example of the allies believing God is on their side. Doesn't God care for each person regardless?

0 0 Reply
Savita Tyagi 20 November 2022

And the word

0 0 Reply
Cynthia Buhain-baello 02 May 2020

a very profound and spiritually revealing poem on the grace and the mercy of God and the peace it brings after. Excellent writing.

0 0 Reply
english teacher 25 September 2018

you have misquoted - Now God be thanked who had matched us with this hour is I believe the correct version

2 0 Reply
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Rupert Brooke

Rupert Brooke

Warwickshire / England
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