<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Last Question</h1><h1 align="center" class="head"><em>(For B. A. Bingham)</em></h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">They</span> lifted up his weary head,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Stained with a dark and bitter dew:</p><p class="line">"How does the battle go?" he said.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Sir, it is victory," -- when he heard</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">He smiled the darkening shadows through</p><p class="line">And died as blithe as a singing bird.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">On the stained grass as on a bed</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Dying he lay and well content --</p><p class="line">"Sir, it is victory," they said.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">So smiling, smiling all the way,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">To the undying Dead hew went</p><p class="line">As to a heavenly holiday.</p></div></body></html> · Great War