Classic Poem

" The need of the world is to smile again. "

You of the north lands who seek
A truce with the world and its wrong —
The stronger misread by the weak,
The weaker forgot by the strong —
Dwelling in days that are bleak,
Prisoned in nights that are long,
Come, find 'neath Vesuvius' peak
The land of the smile and the song.

Ah, yes, there is always alloy
Of sad in her golden refrain,
For the heart that is gayest with joy
Is the one that is keenest with pain.
But not even war can destroy
The lilt of her festival strain,
And peasant and boatman and boy
Are singing and smiling again.

The bells of Venezia ring
Enchantment from mountain to isle.
The towns of the Appenines cling
To the opaline hills. Come, awhile
Convert your sad winter to spring
In the land at the front of the file —
The first of the silent to sing,
The first of the sombre to smile.

Oh, Italy, suffering long,
Thou healer of heart and of mind,
What magic was ever so strong
As Beauty, true spirits to bind?
Though many the evils that throng,
Thy storm-clouds with silver are lined,
For back of the smile and the song
Is a Soul that is human and kind.

L'Envoi: To Lenin.

Prince of New Darkness, the thanks
Shall be yours of Sir Satan (Old Style) —
You and your cronies and cranks,
Masters of bludgeon and guile.
Though you may continue your pranks
With a tolerant world for a while,
Think not you can add to your ranks
The land of the song and the smile.