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1917
THESE were our children who died for our lands: they were dear in our sight. | |
| We have only the memory left of their home-treasured sayings and laughter. | |
| The price of our loss shall be paid to our hands, not another’s hereafter. | |
| Neither the Alien nor Priest shall decide on it. That is our right. | |
| But who shall return us the children? | 5 |
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| At the hour the Barbarian chose to disclose his pretences, | |
| And raged against Man, they engaged, on the breasts that they bared for us, | |
| The first felon-stroke of the sword he had long-time prepared for us— | |
| Their bodies were all our defense while we wrought our defenses. | |
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| They bought us anew with their blood, forbearing to blame us, | 10 |
| Those hours which we had not made good when the Judgment o’ercame us. | |
| They believed us and perished for it. Our statecraft, our learning | |
| Delivered them bound to the Pit and alive to the burning | |
| Whither they mirthfully hastened as jostling for honour— | |
| Not since her birth has our Earth seen such worth loosed upon her. | 15 |
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| Nor was their agony brief, or once only imposed on them. | |
| The wounded, the war-spent, the sick received no exemption: | |
| Being cured they returned and endured and achieved our redemption, | |
| Hopeless themselves of relief, till Death, marvelling, closed on them. | |
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| That flesh we had nursed from the first in all cleanness was given | 20 |
| To corruption unveiled and assailed by the malice of Heaven— | |
| By the heart-shaking jests of Decay where it lolled on the wires— | |
| To be blanched or gay-painted by fumes—to be cindered by fires— | |
| To be senselessly tossed and retossed in stale mutilation | |
| From crater to crater. For this we shall take expiation. | 25 |
| But who shall return us our children? | |
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