<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">The Children's War</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">This</span> is the Children's War, because</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The victory's to the young and clean.</p><p class="line">Up to the Dragon's ravening jaws</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Run dear Eighteen and Seventeen.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Fresh from the Chrisom waters pure,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Dear boys, so eager to attain</p><p class="line">To the bright visions that allure,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The fierce ordeal, the red pain.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The light is yet upon their curls:</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The dream is still within their eyes;</p><p class="line">Their cheeks are silken as a girl's,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The little Knights of Paradise.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">O men with many scars and stains,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Stand back, abase your souls and pray!</p><p class="line">For now to Nineteen are the gains</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And golden Twenty wins the day.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Brown heads with curls all rippled over,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Young bodies slender as a flame,</p><p class="line">They leap to darkness like a lover;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">To Twenty-One is fall'n the game.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">It is the Boys' War. Praise be given</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">To Percivale and Galahad</p><p class="line">Who have won earth and taken Heaven.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">By violence! <em>Weep not, but be glad.</em></p></div></body></html> · Great War