I am not particularly a fan of poetry, though I have gained more of an appreciation of it over time. While reading "The Corner" this morning, I came across Dave Kopel's post where he reprinted this wonderful verse:
The Crisis
By Rob S. Rice
In these dull dreary days the truly brave man knows
That steel, true steel, is tempered by blows.
Fools sneer and deride, let them cheer for our foes
So much harder steel that they temper with blows.
Honor is eternal, though fools disregard
The tests they despise, or consider 'too hard.'
Or in scheming for power they chatter, like crows,
But steel, true steel, is still tempered by blows.
We face scheming murderers with calm defiance.
They have soulless evil, we have self-reliance.
They butcher civilians, their cruelty shows.
Our steel, true steel, is tempered by blows.
Let them come and dare face us, or run, if they choose.
In battle or treachery, the wicked shall lose.
For the acts of their madness are in truth their death throes.
They'll die on our steel that they've tempered, with blows.
Isn't that great? Dr. Rice is a professor of ancient history at the The University of Pennsylvania and a very interesting fellow indeed.
More than a year ago Opinion Journal posted more truly inspiring pieces. I regret to say that I did not discover this fact until now. The one above though, is brand new and speaks so clearly and eloquently to, and about, the fools who "sneer and deride."
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