O lark aspire!
Aspire forever, in thy morning sky!—
Forever soul, beat bravely, gladly, higher,
And sing and sing that sadness is a lie.
Forever, soul, achieve!
Droop not an instant into sloth and rest.
Live in a changeless moment of the best
And lower heights to Heaven forgotten leave.
Man still will strive.
Delight of battle leaped within his sires.
They laughed at death; and Life was all alive:
In him not blood it seeks, but vast desires.
He wakens from a dream
Reviews the forms he fought in ages gone —
He or his ancestors, their shapes are one:—
And also of himself the forms he battled seem.
He sees the truth!
“I wrestled with myself, and rose to strength.
Still be that progress mine!— I see at length
All World, all Soul are one, all ages youth!”