Author: Algernon Charles Swinburne

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    Because there is but one truth;
    Because there is but one banner;
    Because there is but one light;
    Because we have with us our youth
    Once, and one chance and one manner
    Of service, and then the night;

    Because we have found not yet
    Any way for the world to follow
    Save only that ancient way;
    Whosoever forsake or forget,
    Whose faith soever be hollow,
    Whose hope soever grow grey;

    Because of the watchwords of kings
    That are many and strange and unwritten,
    Diverse, and our watchword is one;
    Therefore, though seven be the strings,
    One string, if the harp be smitten,
    Sole sounds, till the tune be done;

    Sounds without cadence or change
    In a weary monotonous burden,
    Be the keynote of mourning or mirth;
    Free, but free not to range;
    Taking for crown and for guerdon
    No mans praise upon earth;

    Saying one sole word evermore,
    In the ears of the charmed world saying,
    Charmed by spells to its death;
    One that chanted of yore
    To a tune of the sword-sweeps playing
    In the lips of the dead blew breath;

    Therefore I set not mine hand
    To the shifting of changed modulations,
    To the smiting of manifold strings;
    While the thrones of the throned men stand,
    One song for the morning of nations,
    One for the twilight of kings.

    One chord, one word, and one way,
    One hope as our law, one heaven,
    Till slain be the great one wrong;
    Till the people it could not slay,
    Risen up, have for one star seven,
    For a single, a sevenfold song.

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Type of Poem: Lyric Poem

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem explores the themes of unity, perseverance, and truth through a solemn and somewhat somber tone. Its structure, which consists of repeating lines in each stanza, lends itself to a sense of inevitable rhythm, echoing the poem's main message of single-mindedness in the face of adversity.

The author employs the literary device of repetition to emphasize the poignancy of the poem's message. The repetition of the word "one" underscores the themes of unity and solidarity, suggesting that there is but one truth, one way, and one light to follow. The repeated references to "one chord," "one word," and "one way" also underscore the unchanging nature of truth and the inexorable march towards it, regardless of the obstacles encountered.

Additionally, the poem uses powerful imagery, such as "the keynote of mourning or mirth" and "the tune of the sword-sweeps playing in the lips of the dead," to evoke a sense of the struggle and sacrifice inherent in the pursuit of truth. This further imbues the poem with a sense of weight and gravitas.

The poem, therefore, presents an emotionally charged exploration of the human condition, emphasizing the importance of unity and the pursuit of truth despite the challenges and hardships encountered along the way.