Turn back, O man, for­swear thy fool­ish ways.
Old now is earth, and none may count her days.
Yet thou, her child, whose head is crowned with flame,
Still wilt not hear thine in­ner God pro­claim,
Turn back, O man, for­swear thy fool­ish ways.

Earth might be fair, and all men glad and wise.
Age af­ter age their tra­gic em­pires rise,
Built while they dream, and in that dream­ing weep:
Would man but wake from out his haunt­ed sleep,
Earth might be fair and all men glad and wise.

Earth shall be fair, and all her peo­ple one:
Nor till that hour shall God’s whole will be done.
Now, even now, once more from earth to sky,
Peals forth in joy man’s old un­daunt­ed cry—
Earth shall be fair, and all her folk be one!