Explore "Lights out. (1915) (the Trial as by Fire)" by Henry Van Dyke on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
"Lights out" along the land, / "Lights out" upon the sea. / The night must put her hiding hand / O'er peaceful towns where children sleep, / And peaceful ships that darkly creep / Across the waves, as if they were not free.
The dragons of the air, / The hell-hounds of the deep, / Lurking and prowling everywhere, / Go forth to seek their helpless prey, / Not knowing whom they maim or slay -- / Mad harvesters, who care not what they reap.
Out with the tranquil lights, / Out with the lights that burn / For love and law and human rights! / Set back the clock a thousand years: / All they have gained now disappears, / And the dark ages suddenly return.
Kaiser who loosed wild death / And terror in the night / God grant you draw no quiet breath, / Until the madness you began / Is ended, and long-suffering man, / Set free from war lords, cries, "Let there be Light. "