<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Before Action</h1><p class="byline"> Lieut. William Noel Hodgson <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/><span class="smallcaps">Military Cross, Devon Regiment-Killed in Battle</span><br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> From "Verse and Prose in Peace and War." John Murray, Publisher, London. Permission to reproduce in this book.</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">By the glories of the day,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">And the cool evening's benison;</p><p class="line">By the last sunset touch that lay</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">Upon the hills when day was done:</p><p class="line">By beauty lavishly outpoured,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">And blessings carelessly received, </p><p class="line">By all the days that I have lived,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">Make me a soldier, Lord.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">By all of human hopes and fears,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">By all the wonders poets sing,</p><p class="line">The laughter of unclouded years,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">And every sad and lovely thing:</p><p class="line">By the romantic ages stored</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">With high endeavor that was his,</p><p class="line">By all his mad catastrophes,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">Make me a man, O Lord.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">I, that on my familiar hill</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">Saw with uncomprehending eyes</p><p class="line">A hundred of Thy sunsets spill</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">Their fresh and sanguine sacrifice,</p><p class="line">Ere the sun swings his noonday sword</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">Must say good-bye to all of this:</p><p class="line">By all delights that I shall miss,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">Help me to die, O Lord.</p></div></body></html> · Great War