<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Anxious Anthemist</h1><p class="byline"> GUY FORRESTER LEE <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/><span class="smallcaps">IN The Chicago Sunday Tribune</span></p><p class="inline-note" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">Written when the Allied armies were chasing the Germans across the fields of France and Flanders, in the summer of 1918.</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">I SIT down to write a poem of our fighting men's renown,</p><p class="line">And I scarce get fairly started when they take another town.</p><p class="line">A British commentator's praise I versify, and then</p><p class="line">A Frenchman up and multiplies the happy words by ten.</p><p class="line">The cable service headlines say the Yankees swat the Hun,</p><p class="line">But ere I get a jingle framed they've got more on the run.</p><p class="line">I'd like to be their Boswell in a khaki--lauding gem,</p><p class="line">But darn those doughboys' peppy hides--I can't keep up with them!</p><p class="line">It tickles me quite some to hear of how they're spreading Teuts</p><p class="line">Around the landscape, and I'll say their ways and means are beauts;</p><p class="line">The Fritzian din of "Kamerad" is drowning out the shells</p><p class="line">As U. S. shockers shock the shockers with their own pet hells.</p><p class="line">I want the good work to go on, but I have one request</p><p class="line">To make of them before they lay the kaiser out to rest,</p><p class="line">And that is this: Don't stop your war; continue till you've won,</p><p class="line">But kindly take a lay-off till I get this anthem done! </p></div></body></html> · Great War