 | Poems of affection by Ella Wheeler Wilcox |  |
52
THE ENLISTED MEN
There are many splendid soldiers
With insignias on their shoulders;
When I meet them on the street, up goes my hand.
And with military motion, I express extreme devotion:
Both my homage and respect these men command.
With insignias on their shoulders;
When I meet them on the street, up goes my hand.
And with military motion, I express extreme devotion:
Both my homage and respect these men command.
But I somehow have a feeling
All too earnest for concealing,
When I meet the private soldiers day by day;
And my heart leaps up, saluting
Those who, quite beyond disputing,
Are the men who must go deepest in the fray
All too earnest for concealing,
When I meet the private soldiers day by day;
And my heart leaps up, saluting
Those who, quite beyond disputing,
Are the men who must go deepest in the fray
Theirs the duties unremitting—
Theirs the pleasures brief and flitting—
Theirs the hard and dull routine work in the rear.
Theirs to march on, uncomplaining,
Be it hot, or be it raining;
Theirs to plunge into the fight when foes are near.
Theirs the pleasures brief and flitting—
Theirs the hard and dull routine work in the rear.
53
Be it hot, or be it raining;
Theirs to plunge into the fight when foes are near.
Theirs to make a lowly station
Shed great glory on the Nation:
And if need be, theirs to die to save the land.
So, dear fellows, I salute you!
And I know Death will transmute you
Every one into a General in God's band.
Shed great glory on the Nation:
And if need be, theirs to die to save the land.
So, dear fellows, I salute you!
And I know Death will transmute you
Every one into a General in God's band.
| Poems of affection by Ella Wheeler Wilcox | |