<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Great Adventure</h1><p class="byline"> MAJOR KENDALL BANNING <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/><span class="smallcaps">Signal Reserve Corps, Aviation Section, U.S Army</span></p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">GOD, the Master Pilot, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Or gods, if such there be--</p><p class="line">Pour me no weakling's measure</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">When ye pour the wine for me!</p><p class="line">Of pain, of love, of pleasure,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">I'll drain the draught ye give;</p><p class="line">Of good and ill, give me the fill</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Of the life ye bade me live!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Spare me no tithe of favor, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">With fortune pave my path, </p><p class="line">Nor hold the hand of vengeance</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">When I deserve your wrath.</p><p class="line">Whatever fates ye send me,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Whatever cast the sky,</p><p class="line">Grant me the grace to live a man</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And as a man to die!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Upon the good I render</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Let shine your proudest sun:</p><p class="line">And rest me in the valleys</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">When my last trick is done.</p><p class="line">For these your utmost portions,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">I'll pay the utmost toll,</p><p class="line">So this my life, becone the great</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Adventure of my soul! </p></div></body></html> · Great War