The Years Between | Page 9

frost-- Arms and victual, hope and
counsel, name and country lost!
Singing:--_Let down by the foot and the head--
Shovel and smooth it all!
So do we bury a Nation dead ..._
And who shall be next to fall, good sirs,
With your good help to fall?
THE IRISH GUARDS
1918
We're not so old in the Army List,
But we're not so young at our trade,

For we had the honour at Fontenoy
Of meeting the Guards' Brigade.

'Twas Lally, Dillon, Bulkeley, Clare,
And Lee that led us then,

And after a hundred and seventy years
We're fighting for France
again!
_Old Days! The wild geese are flighting,
Head to the storm
as they faced it before!
For where there are Irish there's bound to be
fighting, And when there's no fighting, it's Ireland no more!
Ireland no more!_
The fashion's all for khaki now,
But once through France we went

Full-dressed in scarlet Army cloth,
The English--left at Ghent

They're fighting on our side to-day.
But, before they changed their
clothes,
The half of Europe knew our fame,
As all of Ireland knows!


_Old Days! The wild geese are flying,
Head to the storm as they
faced it before!
For where there are Irish there's memory undying,

And when we forget, it is Ireland no more!
Ireland no more!_
From Barry Wood to Gouzeaucourt,
From Boyne to Pilkem Ridge,

The ancient days come back no more
Than water under the bridge

But the bridge it stands and the water runs
As red as yesterday,
And
the Irish move to the sound of the guns
Like salmon to the sea.

_Old Days! The wild geese are ranging,
Head to the storm as they
faced it before!
For where there are Irish their hearts are unchanging,
And when they are changed, it is Ireland no more!
Ireland no more!_
We're not so old in the Army List,
But we're not so new in the ring,

For we carried our packs with Marshal Saxe
When Louis was our
King.
But Douglas Haig's our Marshal now
And we're King
George's men,
And after one hundred and seventy years
We're
fighting for France again!
_Ah, France! And did we stand by you,

When life was made splendid with gifts and rewards? Ah, France! And
will we deny you
In the hour of your agony, Mother of Swords?

Old Days! The wild geese are flighting,
Head to the storm as they
faced it before!
For where there are Irish there's loving and fighting,
And when we stop either, it's Ireland no more!
Ireland no more!_
A NATIVITY
1916
_The Babe was laid in the Manger
Between the gentle kine--
All
safe from cold and danger--_
'But it was not so with mine.

(With mine! With mine!)
'Is it well with the child, is it well?'
The
waiting mother prayed.
'For I know not how he fell,
And I know not
where he is laid.'
_A Star stood forth in Heaven,
The watchers ran to see
The Sign of
the Promise given--_
'But there comes no sign to me.
(To me! To me!)
'_My_ child died in the dark.
Is it well with the
child, is it well?
There was none to tend him or mark,
And I know
not how he fell.'
_The Cross was raised on high;
The Mother grieved beside--_
'But
the Mother saw Him die
And took Him when He died.
(He died! He died!)
'Seemly and undefiled
His burial-place was
made--
Is it well, is it well with the child?
For I know not where he
is laid.'
_On the dawning of Easter Day
Comes Mary Magdalene;
But the
Stone was rolled away,
And the Body was not within--_
(Within! Within!)
'Ah, who will answer my word?'
The broken
mother prayed.
'They have taken away my Lord,
And I know not
where He is laid.'

_The Star stands forth in Heaven.
The watchers watch in vain
For a
Sign of the Promise given
Of peace on Earth again--_
(Again! Again!)
'But I know for Whom he fell'--
The steadfast
mother smiled
'Is it well with the child--is it well?
It is well--it is
well with the child!'
EN-DOR
'Behold there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor'

1 _Samuel_ XXVIII 7
The road to En-dor is easy to tread
For Mother or yearning Wife.

There, it is sure, we shall meet our Dead
As they were even in life.

Earth has not dreamed of the blessing in store
For desolate hearts on
the road to En-dor.
Whispers shall comfort us out of the dark--
Hands--ah God!--that we
knew!
Visions and voices--look and heark!--
Shall prove that our
tale is true,
And that those who have passed to the further shore

May be hailed--at a price--on the road to En-dor.
But they are so deep in their new eclipse
Nothing they say can reach,

Unless it be uttered by alien lips
And framed in a stranger's speech.

The