<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">Flower of Youth</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">LEST Heaven be thronged with greybeards hoary,</p><p class="line">God, who made boys for His delight, </p><p class="line">Stoops, in a day of grief and glory,</p><p class="line">And calls them in, in from the night. </p><p class="line">When they come trooping from the war </p><p class="line">Our skies have many a new gold star.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Heaven's thronged with gay and careless faces,</p><p class="line">New-waked from dreams of dreadful things. </p><p class="line">They walk in green and pleasant places</p><p class="line">And by the crystal water-springs </p><p class="line">Who dreamt of dying and the slain, </p><p class="line">And the fierce thirst and the strong pain.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Dear boys! They shall be young for ever:</p><p class="line">The Son of God was once a boy. </p><p class="line">They run and leap by a clear river,</p><p class="line">And of their youth they have great joy. </p><p class="line">God, who made boys so clean and good, </p><p class="line">Smiles with the eyes of fatherhood.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Now Heaven is by the young invaded;</p><p class="line">Their laughter's in the House of God.</p><p class="line">Stainless and simple as He made it</p><p class="line">God keeps the heart o' the boy unflawed.</p><p class="line">The old wise Saints look on and smile, </p><p class="line">They are so young and without guile.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Oh, if the sonless mothers weeping, </p><p class="line">And widowed girls could see inside </p><p class="line">The glory that hath them in keeping</p><p class="line">Who went to the Great War and died, </p><p class="line">They would rise and put their mourning off, </p><p class="line">And say: "Thank God, he has enough!"</p></div><p class="byline">Katharine Tynan.</p></body></html> · Great War