Page:Poems of Patriotism (1942).djvu/91

 The test of a man is how much he will bear
 * For a cause which he knows to be right,

How long will he stand in the depths of despair,
 * How much will he suffer and fight?

There are many to serve when the victory’s near
 * And few are the hurts to be borne,

But it calls for a leader of courage to cheer
 * The men in a battle forlorn.

It’s the way you hold out against odds that are great
 * That proves what your courage is worth,

It’s the way that you stand to the bruises of fate
 * That shows up your stature and girth.

And victory’s nothing but proof of your skill,
 * Veneered with a glory that’s thin,

Unless it is proof of unfaltering will,
 * And unless you have suffered to win.