And the grave young scholar hearkened To the Master's high behest As he watched the day fly far away To the darkness of the west. And westward still he watches, The width of our wide land, As he sits alone on a pillar of stone Be it mountain, lake, or prairie, Be it city strong and fair, Be it east or west that his eyes shall rest, He sees New England there. Be it east or west that his eyes shall rest, New England stands the same; For God and the right, at the front of the fight Are the men that bear her name. For the message of the Master She has breathed with every breath; And come what will, New England still Harvard, all hail to the mother that reared thee, Mother whose grace and whose glory thou art! Hail to New England, who loved thee and cheered thee, Nestling thee close to her heroine's heart! Here in the wilderness bravely she bore thee, Guarded thee, guided thee, prayed for thee then: "God in the pillar of fire be before thee; Child of New England, be mother of men! "Men who shall live in the light of thy vision, Men who shall welcome at duty's command Riches or poverty, praise or derision Men who shall work, with the head and the hand: "Not the dull heart of the meaningless stoic; Quick with the fires of unquenchable youth, Quivering yet calm, like the martyrs heroic, Living or dying, triumphant in truth." From the North, from the South, from the East, from the West, They come, to be born again; To the North, to the South, to the East, to the West, They go, to prove them men. In the field, at the desk, at the court, in the mart, With the joy in their eyes and the fire in their heart, To struggle, to strive, to obey, to command, To work, and to leaven the land. When the trumpet blew a shriller blast And the loud alarum rang, Marching, galloping, thick and fast, Forward, forward, on to the last, Forward again they sprang! Wounded and bleeding and dying and dead - Danger and death and devotion they saw; Harvard had heroes then: Perkins and Dalton and Savage and Shaw, First in counsel and first to ride To death as the bridegroom to meet the bride There is one who knew them and loved them well, Like them he fought and like them he fell: The scar of the sword-cut on his face; He lives to work in the wondrous light That shone for the shepherds on Christmas night; With heart to love and with hand to guide He nobly lives as he would have died, For the truth that makes men free. The truth that makes men free - there came a seer With radiant smile, whose eyes profound and keen Burnt through the mist that shrouds the wildering scene, Of love and life and death, and saw them clear The truth that makes men free-behold, there came In stature like a giant, and in heart Wide as the world, with lips and soul aflame Impetuous, kingly, true, whose very name Wrought righteousness, whose sweet and surging voice Lifted the saddened soul to wonder and rejoice. The truth that makes men free-the scholar sweet Quick, generous, open, learned -him we greet Once more in June, with roses at his feet, To learn of him who knew as none shall know Harvard has heroes yet; unspotted, brave, Free-hearted, strong, rejoicing still in youth, Even here the leader of our nation gave His vow to live for righteousness and truth. Harvard has heroes yet; supreme, victorious, From the North, from the South, from the East, from the West, They come, to be born again; To the North, to the South, to the East, to the West, They go, to prove them men. In the field, at the desk, at the court, in the mart, With the joy in their eyes and the fire in their heart, To struggle, to strive, to obey, to command, To work, and to leaven the land. Again the song the fathers sang before us! The cheer that rings through voice and heart again! The multitudinous, triumphant chorus ! The mighty mother marshalling her men! |