Susan B. Anthony

Her life is a luminous banner borne ever ahead of her era, in
      lead of the forces of freedom,
            Where wrongs for justice call.
High-hearted, far-sighted, she pressed with noble intrepid impatience,
      one race and the half of another
            To liberate from thrall.

If now in its freedom her spirit mingle with ours and find us
      toiling at dusk to finish
            The task of her long day,
On ground hard held to the last, gaining her goal for women,
      if for her word we hearken,
            May we not hear her say:

“Comrades and daughters exultant, let my goal for you be a mile-
      stone. Too late have you won it to linger.
            Victory flies ahead.
Though women march millions abreast on a widening way to free-
      dom, trails there are still for women
            Fearless to break and tread.

“Keep watch on power as it passes, on liberty’s torch as it
      travels, lest woman be left with a symbol,
            No flame in her lamp alive.
In the mine, the mill and the mart where is bartered the bread of
      your children, is forged the power you strove for,
            For which you still must strive.”

Her spirit like southern starlight at once is afar and around us;
      her message an inward singing
            Through all our life to run:
“Forward together, my daughters, till born of your faith with
      each other and of brotherhood all the world over,
            For all is freedom won.”

Credit

This poem is in the public domain.