<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Rain On Your Old Tin Hat</h1><p class="byline"> LIEUT. J. H. WICKERSHAM </p><p class="inline-note" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">Written at the battle front in France and sent to his mother, Mrs. W. E. Damon. Lieutenant Wickersham was killed in action September 14, 1918.</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">THE mist hangs low and quiet on a ragged line of hills,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">There's a whispering of wind across the flat;</p><p class="line">You'd be feeling kind of lonesome if it wasn't for one thing--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The patter of the raindrops on your old tin hat.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">An' you just can't help a-figuring--sitting here alone--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">About this war and hero stuff and that,</p><p class="line">And you wonder if they haven't sort of got things twisted up,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">While the rain keeps up its patter on your old tin hat.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">When you step off with the outfit to do your little bit,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">You're simply doing what you're s'posed to do--</p><p class="line">And you don't take time to figure what you gain or what you lose,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">It's the spirit of the game that brings you through.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But back at home she's waiting, writing cheerful little notes,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And every night she offers up a prayer </p><p class="line">And just keeps on a-hoping that her soldier boy is safe--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The mother of the boy who's over there.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And, fellows, she's the hero of this great big ugly war,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And her prayer is on that wind across the flat;</p><p class="line">And don't you reckon maybe it's her tears, and not the rain,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That's keeping up the patter on your old tin hat? </p></div></body></html> · Great War