The poem describes the speaker's desire to be a persuasive voice that could travel the world if given the ability. The voice would fly on morning light and speak gently to encourage men to be true, flying over land and sea to tell tales, sing songs, and praise right or blame wrong. It would also seek to comfort the sorrowful and guilty with calm words to save them from despair, dropping sunshine into suffering men's hearts to teach them to rejoice again. Finally, the voice aims to teach Christian brotherhood, guide kings rightly with lessons of worth, and make clear the people's errors in shouting for liberty without deserving it, rebuking wrong and making the earth rejoice.
The poem describes the speaker's desire to be a persuasive voice that could travel the world if given the ability. The voice would fly on morning light and speak gently to encourage men to be true, flying over land and sea to tell tales, sing songs, and praise right or blame wrong. It would also seek to comfort the sorrowful and guilty with calm words to save them from despair, dropping sunshine into suffering men's hearts to teach them to rejoice again. Finally, the voice aims to teach Christian brotherhood, guide kings rightly with lessons of worth, and make clear the people's errors in shouting for liberty without deserving it, rebuking wrong and making the earth rejoice.
The poem describes the speaker's desire to be a persuasive voice that could travel the world if given the ability. The voice would fly on morning light and speak gently to encourage men to be true, flying over land and sea to tell tales, sing songs, and praise right or blame wrong. It would also seek to comfort the sorrowful and guilty with calm words to save them from despair, dropping sunshine into suffering men's hearts to teach them to rejoice again. Finally, the voice aims to teach Christian brotherhood, guide kings rightly with lessons of worth, and make clear the people's errors in shouting for liberty without deserving it, rebuking wrong and making the earth rejoice.
I. I. If I were a voice, a persuasive voice, If I were a voice, a persuasive voice, That could travel the wide world through, That could travel the wide world through, I would fly on the beams of the morning light, I would fly on the beams of the morning light, And speak to men with a gentle might, And speak to men with a gentle might, And tell them to be true. And tell them to be true. I'd fly, I'd fly, o'er land and sea, I'd fly, I'd fly, o'er land and sea, Wherever a human heart might be, Wherever a human heart might be, Telling a tale, or singing a song, Telling a tale, or singing a song, In praise of the right - in blame of the wrong. In praise of the right - in blame of the wrong. II. II. If I were a voice, a consoling voice, If I were a voice, a consoling voice, I'd fly on the wings of air, I'd fly on the wings of air, The homes of Sorrow and Guilt I'd seek, The homes of Sorrow and Guilt I'd seek, And calm and truthful words I'd speak And calm and truthful words I'd speak To save them from Despair. To save them from Despair. I'd fly, I'd fly, o'er the crowded town, I'd fly, I'd fly, o'er the crowded town, And drop, like the happy sun-light, down And drop, like the happy sun-light, down Into the hearts of suffering men, Into the hearts of suffering men, And teach them to rejoice again. And teach them to rejoice again. III. III. If I were a voice, a convincing voice, If I were a voice, a convincing voice, I'd travel with the wind, I'd travel with the wind, And whenever I saw the nations torn And whenever I saw the nations torn By warfare, jealousy, or scorn, By warfare, jealousy, or scorn, If I were a voice, a convincing voice, If I were a voice, a convincing voice, I 'd travel with the wind, I 'd travel with the wind, And whenever I saw the nations torn And whenever I saw the nations torn By warfare, jealousy, or scorn, By warfare, jealousy, or scorn, Or hatred of their kind, Or hatred of their kind, I'd fly, I'd fly, on the thunder-crash, I'd fly, I'd fly, on the thunder-crash, And into their blinded bosoms flash; And into their blinded bosoms flash; And, all their evil thoughts subdued, And, all their evil thoughts subdued, I'd teach them Christian Brotherhood. I'd teach them Christian Brotherhood. IV. IV. If I were a voice, a pervading voice, If I were a voice, a pervading voice, I'd seek the kings of Earth; I'd seek the kings of Earth; I'd find them alone on their beds at night I'd find them alone on their beds at night And whisper words that should guide them right And whisper words that should guide them right Lessons of priceless worth; Lessons of priceless worth; I'd fly more swift than the swiftest bird, I'd fly more swift than the swiftest bird, And tell them things they never heard And tell them things they never heard Truths which the ages for aye repeat Truths which the ages for aye repeat Unknown to the statesmen at their feet. Unknown to the statesmen at their feet. V. V. If I were a voice, an immortal voice, If I were a voice, an immortal voice, I'd speak in the people's ear; I'd speak in the people's ear; And whenever they shouted 'Liberty,' And whenever they shouted 'Liberty,' Without deserving to be free, Without deserving to be free, I'd make their error clear. I'd make their error clear. I'd fly, I'd fly, on the wings of day, I'd fly, I'd fly, on the wings of day, Rebuking wrong on my world-wide way, Rebuking wrong on my world-wide way, And making all the Earth rejoice- And making all the Earth rejoice- If I were a voice-an immortal voice. If I were a voice-an immortal voice.