<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Naval Reserves</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">They have left the spring-green campus, they have left the city streets,</p><p class="line">For the prisoned sea is calling, in their young, red blood she beats;</p><p class="line">They have gone from desk and office -- clerk and poet, drone and seer --</p><p class="line">And from the field and town they answer, "Take us, mother -- we are here!"</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And they're out upon the wide blue stretch, beneath a shining sun,</p><p class="line">And they're out in storm and tempest, where there's brave work to be done;</p><p class="line">With the straining deck beneath their feet, the salt air blowing free,</p><p class="line">They have left their world behind them, for the sake of you and me!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And when the winter hems us in they shall not feel the bite</p><p class="line">Of snow and hail and bitter winds which lash them day and night,</p><p class="line">For in their hearts there is a flame, which burns for you and me,</p><p class="line">A flame to light the future -- and the freedom of the sea!</p></div><p class="byline">-- Faith Baldwin.<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> By courtesy of <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> The All Story Weekly </p></body></html> · Great War