<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">To the Mothers</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mothers of men, do you not know</p><p class="line">What you gave to the world in your hour of woe?</p><p class="line">Born of courage, and doomed to stress,</p><p class="line">A man for the tasks of men -- no less!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mothers of women, can you not feel</p><p class="line">What all the signs of your life reveal?</p><p class="line">You have brought forth love, with its sword and fire,</p><p class="line">And love's high crown is the lost desire.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mothers of men, have you not known</p><p class="line">That the soul of the child is not your own?</p><p class="line">If God has sealed him for palm and cross,</p><p class="line">To hold him close were your bitter loss.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mothers, mothers, will you not see</p><p class="line">All that your gift to the world may be?</p><p class="line">These who must fight a wrong abhorred</p><p class="line">Are Michael's angels, who bear the sword.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mothers of men, then loose your hold!</p><p class="line">Love grants more than your arms enfold;</p><p class="line">Under the Cross you stand apart,</p><p class="line">With Mary's sword in your dauntless heart.</p></div><p class="byline">-- Marion Couthoy Smith<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> Fifes and Drums. <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> (George H. Doran Co.) </p></body></html> · Great War