Poetry Archives

Thou kindly, loving, whole-souled man,
Yet just, as well as tender;
Of wrong, the foe implacable,
Of the oppressed, defender;
So simply great, so grandly good,
So patient and laborious,
Loved brother of thy brother-man,
Thus wast thou, Lincoln, glorious!

Like Moses in old Israel’s need,
With wisdom Heaven-directed,
Thou led’st thy people in the paths
By Providence selected.
On thy strong arm the Nation leaned
As on her son a mother
Leans, with full trust in his heart’s love,
When she dare trust no other.

Best type of yeoman citizen,
Of plain men noblest sample,
A blessing to mankind is he,
Who, following thine example,
Is ever true as thou wast true,
Is honest, brave and tender;
Is the sworn foe of every wrong,
Of all oppressed, defender.