<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Into Battle.</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">THE naked earth is warm with Spring,</p><p class="line">And with green grass and bursting trees</p><p class="line">Leans to the sun's gaze glorying, </p><p class="line">And quivers in the sunny breeze </p><p class="line">And Life is Colour and Warmth and Light,</p><p class="line">And a striving evermore for these</p><p class="line">And he is dead who will not fight;</p><p class="line">And who dies fighting has increase.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The fighting man shall from the sun</p><p class="line">Take warmth, and life from the glowing earth;</p><p class="line">Speed with the light-foot winds to run,</p><p class="line">And with the trees to newer birth </p><p class="line">And find, when fighting shall be done,</p><p class="line">Great rest, and fullness after dearth.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">All the bright company of Heaven </p><p class="line">Hold him in their high comradeship, </p><p class="line">The Dog-Star and the Sisters Seven,</p><p class="line">Orion's Belt and sworded hip.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The woodland trees that stand together,</p><p class="line">They stand to him each one a friend;</p><p class="line">They gently speak in the windy weather;</p><p class="line">They guide to valley and ridges' end.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The kestrel hovering by day,</p><p class="line">And the little owls that call by night,</p><p class="line">Bid him be swift and keen as they,</p><p class="line">As keen of ear, as swift of sight.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The blackbird sings to him, " Brother, brother, </p><p class="line">"If this be the last song you shall sing,</p><p class="line">"Sing well, for you may not sing another; </p><p class="line">"Brother, sing."</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">In dreary doubtful waiting hours,</p><p class="line">Before the brazen frenzy starts,</p><p class="line">The horses show him nobler powers;</p><p class="line">O patient eyes, courageous hearts!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And when the burning moment breaks,</p><p class="line">And all things else are out of mind,</p><p class="line">And only Joy-of-Battle takes</p><p class="line">film by the throat, and makes him blind,</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Through joy and blindness he shall know,</p><p class="line">Not caring much to know, that still</p><p class="line">Nor lead nor steel shall reach him, so</p><p class="line">That it be not the Destined Will.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The thundering line of battle stands,</p><p class="line">And in the air Death moans and sings;</p><p class="line">But Day shall clasp him with strong hands,</p><p class="line">And Night shall fold him in soft wings.</p></div><p class="byline">Flanders, April, 1915.<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> (Included by permission of Lord Desborough.)</p></body></html> · Great War