[MrB]

It was not part of their blood,
It came to them very late,
With long arrears to make good,
When the Saxon began to hate.

They were not easily moved,
They were icy — willing to wait
Till every count should be proved,
Ere the Saxon began to hate.

Their voices were even and low.
Their eyes were level and straight.
There was neither sign nor show
When the Saxon began to hate.

It was not preached to the crowd.
It was not taught by the state.
No man spoke it aloud
When the Saxon began to hate.

It was not suddently bred.
It will not swiftly abate.
Through the chilled years ahead,
When Time shall count from the date
That the Saxon began to hate.

[MrB]

The Kipling poem brought to mind Charles Bronson.

He just got to the point where it wasn't emotional,
it was just cold, outright execution of folks that needed killin'

[oldvirginian]

Comes very close to our current situation doesn’t it.

Those who are “feeling their oats”, so to speak, may not like the end result when it’s all over.