• Author: Unknown
• Editor: B-8266
• Newspaper: The Umpire volume V
• Page Number:
• Date: 8 7 1918
• Tags:
• poetry

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What will we say when a child shall ask, What did you in the world‘s great task? How shall we phrase our answer then, When one asks, were you of Pershing ‘s men? Where will we look, and what will we say, When others tell of their battle-day?

Must we bow our heads in enduring shame, While our brothers win to a leathless fame? Shall we who are ready, ard willing, aye. Ready and willing to do and die, Be denied the right of a man to give, All that he hath that his soul may live?

Debtors we are to the law we broke, And we would pay in the battle smoke: For all that we did make payment there, On deck, or in trench, or in upper air. And whether to life, or to death we again, We would be free of our souls dark stain.

If it be death: then in cause like this, Death were sweet as a loved one’s kiss. If it be life: for us new-begun, Men, by grace of a task well done. O legislators, we ask a chance To work, or fight in the fields of France.