The Young Guard

But that's the sort of carrion that's better when
it's hung.
Yet – the big thing you're doing I should like to
make you see!"
"Our stunt," said that young Yankee, "is to set
the whole world free!"
The Linesman used a venial verb (and other parts
of speech):
"That's just the way the papers talk and
politicians preach!
But apart from gastronomical designs upon the
Hun —
And the rather taller order – there's a big thing
that you've done."
"Why, say! The biggest thing on earth, to any
cute onlooker,
Is Old Man Bull and Uncle Sam aboard the
same blamed hooker!
One crew, one port, one speed ahead, steel-true
twin-hearts within her:
One ding-dong English-singin' race – a race
without a winner!"
The boy's a boyish mixture – half high-brow and
half droll:
So brave and naïve and cock-a-hoop – so sure
yet pure of soul!
Behold him bright and beaming as the bride-
groom after church —
The Linesman looking wistful as a rival in the
lurch!
"I'd love to be as young as you – " he doesn't
even swear —
"Love to be joining up anew and spoiling for my
share!
But when your blood runs cold and old, and brain
and bowels squirm,
The only thing to ease you is some fresh blood in
the firm.
"When the war was young, and we were young,
we felt the same as you:
A few short months of glory – and we didn't care
how few!
French, British and Dominions, it took us all the
same —
Who knows but what the Hun himself enjoyed
his dirty game!
"We tumbled out of tradesmen's carts, we fell off
office stools;
Fathers forsook their families, boys ran away from
schools;
Mothers untied their apron-strings, lovers un-
loosed their arms —
All Europe was a wedding and the bells were
war's alarms!
"The chime had changed – You took a pull – the
old wild peal rings on
With the clamour and the glamour of a Genera-
tion gone.
Their fun – their fire – their hearts' desire – are
born again in You!"
"That the big thing we're doin'?"
"It's as big as Man can do!"

FORERUNNERS [1 - H. P. P. – F. M. J. W. A. C. St. Ninian's, Moffat, 1879-1880; South Africa, 1899-1900.]

(1900)

WHEN I lie dying in my bed,
A grief to wife, and child, and friend, —
How I shall grudge you gallant dead
Your sudden, swift, heroic end!
Dear hands will minister to me,
Dear eyes deplore each shallower breath:
You had your battle-cries, you three,
To cheer and charm you to your death.
You did not wane from worse to worst,
Under coarse drug or futile knife,
But in one grand mad moment burst
From glorious life to glorious Life…
These twenty years ago and more,
'Mid purple heather and brown crag,
Our whole school numbered scarce a score,
And three have fallen for the Flag.
You two have finished on one side,
You who were friend and foe at play;
Together you have done and died;
But that was where you learnt the way.
And the third face! I see it now,
So delicate and pale and brave.
The clear grey eye, the unruffled brow,
Were ripening for a soldier's grave.
Ah! gallant three, too young to die!
The pity of it all endures.
Yet, in my own poor passing, I
Shall lie and long for such as yours.

UPPINGHAM SONG

(1913)