<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Song of the Belgians</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Reck not that your wounds are bleeding,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Reck not that your voice is weak:</p><p class="line">Louder than the roar of cannon,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Higher than the battle-shriek,</p><p class="line">Sing, my countrymen, the story</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Of the fields we have <em>not</em> won,</p><p class="line">Fields of failure but of glory,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">'Neath this fair autumnal sun:</p><p class="line">Sing how, when the tempter whispered,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">"Buy your safety with your shame,"</p><p class="line">Said we, "Sooner no dishonor</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Shall defile the Belgian name!"</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Reck not that your wounds are bleeding,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Reck not that your voice is weak:</p><p class="line">Deeper than the roar of cannon,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Higher than the battle-shriek,</p><p class="line">E'en altho your wounds are bleeding,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">E'en altho your heart-strings break,</p><p class="line">Sing of hope and hate unshaken,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">'Neath this fair autumnal sun:</p><p class="line">Sing how, when the tempter whispered,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">"Sweet is vengeance, when 'tis done,"</p><p class="line">Said we louder, "We are prouder</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Mercy's garland to have won!"</p></div><p class="byline">-- Emile Cammaerts<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> War Poems and Other <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> Translations by Lord Curzon <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> of Kedleston. (John Lane Co.) </p></body></html> · Great War