 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
ONE.
We were linked in the wildest weather,
And united deeds have done,
We have lived and loved together,
And our memories all are one;
We were scorched in the torrid regions,
We were chilled by the Arctic cold,
And abreast with our battered legions
Have we broken the tyrant's hold;
Shamrock and rose and thistle,
One while the sword-blades cross,
One where the bullets whistle,
One where the billows toss,
And united deeds have done,
We have lived and loved together,
And our memories all are one;
We were scorched in the torrid regions,
We were chilled by the Arctic cold,
And abreast with our battered legions
Have we broken the tyrant's hold;
Shamrock and rose and thistle,
One while the sword-blades cross,
One where the bullets whistle,
One where the billows toss,
We have triumphed in battles gory,
When the enemy came as a flood.
And the sunshine of hard-won glory
Fell alike on our mingled blood;
For the fainting hearts grew bolder,
And our spirits gathered pride,
As we shoulder stood to shoulder,
As we galloped side by side;
Rose and shamrock and thistle,
One for the stormy fight,
One in the blotted epistle,
One through the darkest night.
When the enemy came as a flood.
And the sunshine of hard-won glory
Fell alike on our mingled blood;
For the fainting hearts grew bolder,
And our spirits gathered pride,
As we shoulder stood to shoulder,
As we galloped side by side;
Rose and shamrock and thistle,
One for the stormy fight,
One in the blotted epistle,
One through the darkest night.
We were joined and our foes derided,
When a common will had each,
And if parted were undivided
As we dashed up the deadly breach;
As we faced, in the fire and racket,
Iron tempest of shot and shell,
The red-coat and red-stained blue-jacket,
Closing up where a comrade fell;
Shamrock and rose and thistle,
One at the stubborn strife,
One of our bone and gristle,
One in the wedded life.
When a common will had each,
And if parted were undivided
As we dashed up the deadly breach;
As we faced, in the fire and racket,
Iron tempest of shot and shell,
The red-coat and red-stained blue-jacket,
Closing up where a comrade fell;
Shamrock and rose and thistle,
One at the stubborn strife,
One of our bone and gristle,
One in the wedded life.
85
We have conquered as one our dangers,
In the darkness of all the lands,—
Shall we now step apart as strangers,
And unclasp our brother hands?
We have shared in each other's rations,
Through the grim and weary tramp,
We were one in the worst privations,
On the shipboard or in camp;
Rose and shamrock and thistle,
One to the farthest east,
One where the icebergs bristle,
One for the fight and feast.
In the darkness of all the lands,—
Shall we now step apart as strangers,
And unclasp our brother hands?
We have shared in each other's rations,
Through the grim and weary tramp,
We were one in the worst privations,
On the shipboard or in camp;
Rose and shamrock and thistle,
One to the farthest east,
One where the icebergs bristle,
One for the fight and feast.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |