 | Ballads of the War |  |
50
Home from the Front for Christmas Day
My body lies upon the ground,
My soul has slipped away,
I hardly felt the sting of wound
So savage was the fray.
My soul has slipped away,
I hardly felt the sting of wound
So savage was the fray.
We fought, but whom we could not see;
We stormed the mountain side,
Where every boulder seemed to be
A rifle—and we died.
We stormed the mountain side,
Where every boulder seemed to be
A rifle—and we died.
I fell; with lightning flash my mind
Turned longingly for home;
I passed o'er land and seas to find
That Christmastide had come.
Turned longingly for home;
I passed o'er land and seas to find
That Christmastide had come.
The bells were ringing down the vale,
The people walked to pray,
“God send us”—so I heard them hail—
“A merrier Christmas Day!”
The people walked to pray,
“God send us”—so I heard them hail—
“A merrier Christmas Day!”
51
“This is a sorry time,” they said,
“For Peace and for Goodwill,
Eight hundred wounded, lost or dead,
The Boers unshifted still!”
“For Peace and for Goodwill,
Eight hundred wounded, lost or dead,
The Boers unshifted still!”
I whispered! “Others mourn for blood
Poured forth, for others fell,
—Shocked into dying as they stood
By burst of British shell.”
Poured forth, for others fell,
—Shocked into dying as they stood
By burst of British shell.”
The children passed, a merry band,
My spirit eyes were dim,
I, too, went once with book in hand,
To sing the Christmas Hymn.
My spirit eyes were dim,
I, too, went once with book in hand,
To sing the Christmas Hymn.
The sexton stood with smile and nod
To greet the gathering crowd.
“The Christ is born, give praise to God,”
The eight bells rang aloud.
To greet the gathering crowd.
“The Christ is born, give praise to God,”
The eight bells rang aloud.
Breathed sweet of holly leaves and warm
The church threw wide its door,
With Christmas look and Christmas charm,
And peace for rich and poor.
The church threw wide its door,
With Christmas look and Christmas charm,
And peace for rich and poor.
I entered in, my mother knelt
At her accustomed place,
Her face was hid, but ah! I felt
The tears were on her face.
At her accustomed place,
Her face was hid, but ah! I felt
The tears were on her face.
52
“Lord, cover Thou mine own son's head
In battle day,” she cried,
She knew not that her boy was dead,
And I was at her side.
In battle day,” she cried,
She knew not that her boy was dead,
And I was at her side.
She knew not in Tugela's sun
My body rotting lay;
But she could hear the foeman gun
Boom murder far away.
My body rotting lay;
But she could hear the foeman gun
Boom murder far away.
“Forgive the people, Lord, we pray,
Who knowing of Thy will,
Come worshipping on Christmas Day,
But send our lads to kill.”
Who knowing of Thy will,
Come worshipping on Christmas Day,
But send our lads to kill.”
“Oh! God,” she groaned, “make battles cease
Where'er men fighting are;
This is the day ordained for peace,
Then wherefore give us war?”
Where'er men fighting are;
This is the day ordained for peace,
Then wherefore give us war?”
The reader for the lesson took
Isaiah's words of old;
I muttered, “Close that holy book,
Not peace ye seek, but gold.”
Isaiah's words of old;
I muttered, “Close that holy book,
Not peace ye seek, but gold.”
Then did the preacher choose for text,
“Peace and on earth good-will.”
My spirit murmured, sorely vexed,
“Then Christians wherefore kill?”
“Peace and on earth good-will.”
My spirit murmured, sorely vexed,
“Then Christians wherefore kill?”
53
But all the while my mother's face
Beside the pillar there,
So spake to God that still the place
It seemed a place of prayer.
Beside the pillar there,
So spake to God that still the place
It seemed a place of prayer.
And I was glad that I had died,
And come from far away,
If but to know how mother cried
For peace, that Christmas Day.
And come from far away,
If but to know how mother cried
For peace, that Christmas Day.
| Ballads of the War | |