* CEASE FIRE *

The fight was done an hour ago:

The whole brigade has fallen back,

And I've been wand'rin’ to and fro,

A-askin’ any — white or black,

‘ Say — have you seen my brother, Jack?

His troop was first in the attack!’

I should have seen him here by now:

An hour ago the‘ cease fire’ went.

He is n't wounded any'ow,

‘ Cos with the stretcher squads I went,

An’ all my other time I've spent

A-hangin’ round the doctor's tent.

Among the huddled, fallen men

I picked a way across the plain.

I got a dozen yards, an’ then

Came back for fear I'd turn my brain....

The mangled horrors of the slain!

O Christ! I can n't go there again!

Say, have you seen my brother Jack?

Do n't know! an’ damn you, do n't much care!—

But‘ scuse me, chum, a-talkin’ back,

I'm sorter flustered with the glare.

These sands are hot, an’ so's the air —

Perhaps he's doin’ guard somewhere!

Old mother said before we went,

‘ Be sure you keep him in your sight’

( Not knowin’ what a campaign meant ).

‘ Do n't let him stay out late o’ night!’ —

I wonder if he funked the fight

An’ bolted. O pray God he might!

They're layin’ out our dead just now,

He can n't be ——, no, that — that ai n't sense,

An’ when he comes there'll be a row!

A-keepin’ me in this suspense!

‘ Tis here our line of killed commence,

I'll sorter look — for make-pretence!

Pretendin’ some one's here I know —

I'm half inclined to turn aback —

But one by one, along I go,

And see the crimson clottin’ black....

His troop was first in the attack!

What! Jack! Is this — this Thing our Jack?