Douglas Malloch

1877 - 1938 / Muskegon, Michigan

The Road Of Masonry

Men build a road of Masonry
Across the hills and dales,
Unite the prairie and the sea,
The mountains and the vales,
They cross the chasm, bridge the stream,
They point to where the turrets gleam,
And many men for many a day
Who seek the heights shall find the way.

Men build a road of Masonry,
But not for self they build:
With footsteps of humanity
The hearts of men are thrilled.
This music makes their labor sweet:
The endless tramp of other feet,
The thought that men shall travel thus
An easier road because of us.

We build the road of Masonry
With other men in mind;
We do not build for you and me,
We build for all mankind.
We build a road! - remember, men,
Build not for Now, but build for Then,
And other men who walk the way
Shall find the road we built today.

Who builds the road of Masonry,
Though small or great his part,
However hard the task may be,
May toil with singing heart.
For it is something, after all,
When muscles tire and shadows fall,
To know that other men shall bless
The builder for his faithfulness.
367 Total read