These Two

They died these two &mdash

The little boys I knew &mdash

One at Gallipoli and one in France.

Long ago &mdash

Oh, twenty years or so &mdash

They used to romp and dance

Over the grass, under the trees.

One toddling brother

Had golden curls

Fine as a girl's,

And funny little round fat cheeks the other.

They liked me, used to climb

Into my lap, and tease

For stories before bed-time, tugging close

With little arms and knees

It seems too short a time

For these two to grow tall

Of body and soul,

Grow into men, and hear the iron call,

and give their youth's bright hoard.

Brief was their story

As sunlight on a sword.

The poem is referencing the follwing gentlemen:Maurice Pretyman: 1891-1915Franklin Remingtone Pretyman: 1893-1917