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Home  »  The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse  »  William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)

Arthur Quiller-Couch, comp. The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse. 1922.

The Rose of Peace

William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)

IF Michael, leader of God’s host

When Heaven and Hell are met,

Look’d down on you from Heaven’s door-post

He would his deeds forget.

Brooding no more upon God’s wars

In his Divine homestead,

He would go weave out of the stars

A chaplet for your head.

And all folk seeing him bow down,

And white stars tell your praise,

Would come at last to God’s great town,

Led on by gentle ways;

And God would bid his warfare cease.

Saying all things were well;

And softly make a rosy peace,

A peace of Heaven with Hell.