Acceptation Poem by Margaret Junkin Preston

We do accept thee, heavenly Peace!
Albeit thou comest in a guise
Unlooked for-undesired, our eyes
Welcome through tears the sweet release
From war, and woe, and want,-surcease,
For which we bless thee, blessed Peace!

We lift our foreheads from the dust;
And as we meet thy brow's clear calm,
There falls a freshening sense of balm
Upon our spirits. Fear-distrust-
The hopeless present on us thrust-
We'll meet them as we can, and must.

War has not wholly wrecked us; still
Strong hands, brave hearts, high souls are ours-
Proud consciousness of quenchless powers-
A Past whose memory makes us thrill-
Futures uncharactered, to fill
With heroisms-if we will.

Then courage, brothers!-Though each breast
Feel oft the rankling thorn, despair,
That failure plants so sharply there-
No pain, no pang shall be confest:
We'll work and watch the brightening west,
And leave to God and Heaven, the rest.