<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The War Horse</h1><p class="byline"> LIEUT. L FLEMING, B. E. F., FRANCE </p><p class="inline-note" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">Shortly after the verses here following were received from France by the American Red Star Animal Relief, Lieutenant Fleming fell in action. His voice, coming to us as from a plane of life where dumb creatures do not suffer, is a call to civilization to do its duty by the animals whose kind were silent heroes of the war.</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">WHEN the shells are bursting round, </p><p class="line">Making craters in the ground,</p><p class="line">And the rifle fire's something awful cruel, </p><p class="line">When you 'ear them in the night</p><p class="line">(My Gawd! it makes you fight!)</p><p class="line">An' yer thinks of them poor souls agoing 'ome, </p><p class="line">When you 'ear the Sergeant shout</p><p class="line">"Get y 'r respirators out,"</p><p class="line">Then you looks and sees a cloud of something white.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The gas is coming on</p><p class="line">An' yer knows before it's gone</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That the 'orse wots with you now won't be by then;</p><p class="line">Yer loves him like yer wife</p><p class="line">An' yer wants to save 'is life,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">But there ain't no respirators, not for them.</p><p class="line">I was standing by 'is side</p><p class="line">On the night my old 'orse died,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">An' I shan't forget 'is looks towards the last.</p><p class="line">'E is choking mighty bad,</p><p class="line">An' is eyes was looking mad,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">An' I seed that--'e--was dying--dying fast.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">An' I want to tell yer 'ow </p><p class="line">It's the 'orses gets us through,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">For they strains their blooming 'earts out when they're pressed.</p><p class="line">We was galloping like 'ell</p><p class="line">When a bullet 'its old Bill,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">I c'd see the blood a-streaming down 'is face, </p><p class="line">It 'ad got 'im in the 'ead, </p><p class="line">But 'e stuck to it and led </p><p class="line">Till we comes to ''Action right,'' </p><p class="line">An' then 'e fell.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">I 'adn't time to choose </p><p class="line">I 'ad to cut 'im loose,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">For 'e'd done all 'e c'd afore a gun. </p><p class="line">When I looks at 'im again </p><p class="line">'E was out of all 'is pain,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">An' I 'opes 'is soul will rest for wot 'e done. </p><p class="line">If it 'adn't been for Bill </p><p class="line">We should all 'ave been in 'ell,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">For we only got in action just in time. </p><p class="line">Ain't it once occurred to you </p><p class="line">Wot the 'orses there go through?</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">They 'elps to win our fight an' does it fine.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">When 'is blood is flowing 'ot </p><p class="line">From a wound what 'e's just got</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">An' 'is breath is coming 'ard an' short an' thin.</p><p class="line">'E can see the men about, </p><p class="line">Getting water dealed out,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">But not a drop is brought to comfort 'im; </p><p class="line">Tho 'is tongue is parched and dry, </p><p class="line">'E can see the water by, </p><p class="line">But 'is wounds are left to bleed, </p><p class="line">An' 'e can't tell us 'is need, </p><p class="line">So 'e's just got to bear 'is pain--an' think.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">There are 'eroes big and small, </p><p class="line">But the biggest of them all</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Is the 'orse wot lays a--dying on the ground.</p><p class="line">'E doesn't cause no wars,</p><p class="line">An' 'e's only fighting yours,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">An' 'e gives 'is life for you without a sound.</p><p class="line">'E doesn't get no pay,</p><p class="line">Just some oats, and p'r'aps some hay;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">If 'e's killed, no one thinks a bit of 'im</p><p class="line">"E's just as brave an' good</p><p class="line">As any men wot ever stood,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">But there's mighty little though or 'elp for 'im. </p></div></body></html> · Great War