A man went down to Panama br Where many a man had died br To slit the sliding mountains br And lift the eternal tide: br A man stood up in Panama, br And the mountains stood aside. br br For a poet wrought in Panama br With a continent for his theme, br And he wrote with flood and fire br To forge a planet s dream, br And the derricks rang his dithyrambs br And his stanzas roared in steam. br br Where old Balboa bent his gaze br He leads the liners through. br And the Horn that tossed Magellan br Bellows a far halloo, br For where the navies never sailed br Steamed Goethals and his crew. br br So nevermore the tropic routes br Need poleward warp and veer, br But on through the Gates of Goethals br The steady keels shall steer, br Where the tribes of man are led toward peace br By the prophet-engineer.