France at War

France At War, by Rudyard
Kipling

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Title: France At War On the Frontier of Civilization
Author: Rudyard Kipling
Release Date: May 27, 2004 [EBook #12454]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRANCE
AT WAR ***

Produced by David S. Miller

FRANCE AT WAR On the Frontier of Civilization
BY RUDYARD KIPLING
1915

CONTENTS
Poem: France I. On the Frontier of Civilization II. The Nation's Spirit
and a New Inheritance III. Battle Spectacle and a Review IV. The Spirit
of the People V. Life in Trenches on the Mountain Side VI. The
Common Task of a Great People

FRANCE AT WAR On the Frontier of Civilization
FRANCE* BY RUDYARD KIPLING
Broke to every known mischance, lifted over all By the light sane joy of
life, the buckler of the Gaul, Furious in luxury, merciless in toil,
Terrible with strength that draws from her tireless soil, Strictest judge
of her own worth, gentlest of men's mind, First to follow truth and last
to leave old truths behind-- France beloved of every soul that loves its
fellow-kind.
Ere our birth (rememberest thou?) side by side we lay Fretting in the
womb of Rome to begin the fray. Ere men knew our tongues apart, our
one taste was known-- Each must mould the other's fate as he wrought
his own. To this end we stirred mankind till all earth was ours, Till our
world-end strifes began wayside thrones and powers, Puppets that we
made or broke to bar the other's path-- Necessary, outpost folk,
hirelings of our wrath. To this end we stormed the seas, tack for tack,
and burst Through the doorways of new worlds, doubtful which was
first. Hand on hilt (rememberest thou?), ready for the blow. Sure
whatever else we met we should meet our foe. Spurred or baulked at
ev'ry stride by the other's strength, So we rode the ages down and every
ocean's length; Where did you refrain from us or we refrain from you?
Ask the wave that has not watched war between us two. Others held us
for a while, but with weaker charms, These we quitted at the call for
each other's arms. Eager toward the known delight, equally we strove,
Each the other's mystery, terror, need, and love. To each other's open
court with our proofs we came, Where could we find honour else or

men to test the claim? From each other's throat we wrenched valour's
last reward, That extorted word of praise gasped 'twixt lunge and guard.
In each other's cup we poured mingled blood and tears, Brutal joys,
unmeasured hopes, intolerable fears, All that soiled or salted life for a
thousand years. Proved beyond the need of proof, matched in every
clime, O companion, we have lived greatly through all time: Yoked in
knowledge and remorse now we come to rest, Laughing at old
villainies that time has turned to jest, Pardoning old necessity no
pardon can efface-- That undying sin we shared in Rouen market-place.
Now we watch the new years shape, wondering if they hold Fiercer
lighting in their hearts than we launched of old. Now we hear new
voices rise, question, boast or gird, As we raged (rememberest thou?)
when our crowds were stirred. Now we count new keels afloat, and
new hosts on land, Massed liked ours (rememberest thou?) when our
strokes were planned. We were schooled for dear life sake, to know
each other's blade: What can blood and iron make more than we have
made? We have learned by keenest use to know each other's mind:
What shall blood and iron loose that we cannot bind? We who swept
each other's coast, sacked each other's home, Since the sword of
Brennus clashed on the scales at Rome, Listen, court and close again,
wheeling girth to girth, In the strained and bloodless guard set for peace
on earth.
Broke to every known mischance, lifted over all By the light sane joy of
life, the buckler of the Gaul, Furious in luxury, merciless in toil,
Terrible with strength renewed from a tireless soil, Strictest judge of
her own worth, gentlest of men's mind, First to follow truth and last to
leave old truths behind, France beloved of every soul that loves or
serves its kind.
*First published June 24, 1913.

I
ON THE FRONTIER OF CIVILIZATION

"It's a pretty park," said the French artillery officer. "We've done a lot
for it since the owner