<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Passing the Buck</h1><p class="byline"> SERGT. NORMAN E. NYGAARD, 313TH SN. TN. <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/><span class="smallcaps">IN The Stars And Stripes</span>, A.E.F.,<span class="smallcaps"> France</span></p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">THE Colonel has a job to do </p><p class="line">That's really hard, and puzzling, too; </p><p class="line">He can't quite figure what it needs, </p><p class="line">So hands it out to Major Heeds.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And Major Heeds he thinks it o'er, </p><p class="line">And thinks it o'er and o'er some more, </p><p class="line">And he can't make it out at all, </p><p class="line">So Captain Jones, he takes a fall.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The Captain shoves his helmet back, </p><p class="line">And puts his brains all on the rack; </p><p class="line">But "D--n" is all that can be said, </p><p class="line">And then it's up to First Loot Head.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">O' course, he "knows," but hasn't time--</p><p class="line">The work they shove on him's a crime; </p><p class="line">This, and then lots more to boot, </p><p class="line">So on it goes to the Second Loot.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Now Lieutenant Young is just a kid, </p><p class="line">A baby mouth by an eyebrow hid; </p><p class="line">A job like that would knock him cold, </p><p class="line">He hands it down to Top-soak Gold.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The Top-soak, 'course, is swamped with work; </p><p class="line">It never was his plan to shirk, </p><p class="line">But Sergeant Reed, he's just the man, </p><p class="line">He'll sure do it if any can.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But that old sarge must sleep a lot: </p><p class="line">This biz of overworkin's rot;</p><p class="line">He gives the Corp'rul loads of gas, </p><p class="line">And so that duffer takes a pass.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But Corp'ruls don't know what to do, </p><p class="line">They're only built for bossing, too; </p><p class="line">So Corp'rul Jenks, he says he's stuck, </p><p class="line">And hands it on to a common buck.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And when the job is finished right, </p><p class="line">And all the things are clear as light, </p><p class="line">Why, then, it's found by all the Fates, </p><p class="line">The job was done by Private Bates.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">An' it's passin' the buck, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">An' a-passin' the buck, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:3%">An' a-passin' the buck along, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">An' on with the buck </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:2%">With the best o' luck,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:3%">An' I hope you come out wrong.</p></div></body></html> · Great War