The Song of the Soldier-born

Give me the scorn of the stars and a peak defiant;

Wail of the pines and a wind with the shout of a giant;

Night and a trail unknown and a heart reliant.

Give me to live and love in the old, bold fashion;

A soldier's billet at night and a soldier's ration;

A heart that leaps to the fight with a soldier's passion.

For I hold as a simple faith there's no denying:

The trade of a soldier's the only trade worth plying;

The death of a soldier's the only death worth dying.

So let me go and leave your safety behind me;

Go to the spaces of hazard where nothing shall bind me;

Go till the word is War — and then you will find me.

Then you will call me and claim me because you will need me;

Cheer me and gird me and into the battle-wrath speed me....

And when it's over, spurn me and no longer heed me.

For guile and a purse gold-greased are the arms you carry;

With deeds of paper you fight and with pens you parry;

You call on the hounds of the law your foes to harry.

You with your “Art for its own sake”, posing and prinking;

You with your “Live and be merry”, eating and drinking;

You with your “Peace at all hazard”, from bright blood shrinking.

Fools! I will tell you now: though the red rain patters,

And a million of men go down, it's little it matters....

There's the Flag upflung to the stars, though it streams in tatters.

There's a glory gold never can buy to yearn and to cry for;

There's a hope that's as old as the sky to suffer and sigh for;

There's a faith that out-dazzles the sun to martyr and die for.

Ah no! it's my dream that War will never be ended;

That men will perish like men, and valour be splendid;

That the Flag by the sword will be served, and honour defended.

That the tale of my fights will never be ancient story;

That though my eye may be dim and my beard be hoary,

I'll die as a soldier dies on the Field of Glory.

So give me a strong right arm for a wrong's swift righting;

Stave of a song on my lips as my sword is smiting;

Death in my boots may-be, but fighting, fighting.