<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">To a Friend - Killed in Action. <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/></h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">FAIN would weep, and yet my eyes are dry;</p><p class="line">My lips are dumb, for fear lest they should speak </p><p class="line">The hasty word, and in reproaches seek </p><p class="line">Revolt from God's decree that you should die. </p><p class="line">I know you would not ask me for my tears, </p><p class="line">But rather have me face with courage calm </p><p class="line">The lonely hours, and find some healing balm </p><p class="line">To fill the emptiness of future years. </p><p class="line">And so I pray for strength to bind my soul </p><p class="line">With faith unconquerable and hope divine; </p><p class="line">And from the grief and sorrow that are mine </p><p class="line">Draw cleansing grace to make my being whole. </p><p class="line">Thus from your loss one friend at least shall gain </p><p class="line">New life, to prove you have not died in vain.</p></div><p class="byline">Harold Simpson".</p>(The <em>Poetry Review</em></body></html> · Great War