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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
American writers on peace and against war
Clinton Scollard: Selections on war and peace
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Clinton Scollard
The Watcher by the Tower
Upon a far land’s borders,
At dawn and sunset hour,
There stands a silent Watcher,
The Watcher by the Tower!
The moments glide like ripples
Upon a summer rill;
Unchallenging, unchanging,
He keeps his vigil still.
The serried lines of armies
Sweep on, a mighty span;
They do not see the Watcher,
And yet he marks each man.
The blaring of the bugle.
The daring of the flute.
He knows upon what morrow
Their music will be mute.
The streaming of the guidons,
The gleaming of the guns.
Within his hand he holds them
As God His flaming suns.
Who is the grisly warder
With this supernal power?
Death is the silent Watcher,
The Watcher by the Tower.
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