<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head"> Lines</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">It is not sweet to die for one's countree :</p><p class="line">I saw a dead man stinking in a trench</p><p class="line">Where even flies would sicken with the stench;</p><p class="line">Ah! is it sweet to die for one's countree ?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">His face had rotted black as ebony,</p><p class="line">His eyes were empty, but his teeth were in</p><p class="line">And horridly they made his face to grin ;</p><p class="line">It is not sweet to die for one's countree.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Yet if--if I the living soul could see</p><p class="line">That sings glad triumph songs unearthily,</p><p class="line">Then might I make a sweeter song and say,</p><p class="line">' Surely 'tis sweet to die for one's countree !'</p></div></body></html> · Great War