<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head"> Recruits on the Road to Oxford."</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">THEY passed in dusty black defile </p><p class="line">Along the burning champaign's edge, </p><p class="line">Where English oaks for many a mile</p><p class="line">Dripped acorns o'er the berried hedge.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">With valorous smiles on faces soiled, </p><p class="line">Out of the autumn's heat and light, </p><p class="line">These who on English earth had toiled </p><p class="line">Came forth for English earth to fight.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Round their descending flank out-spread </p><p class="line">The country like a painted page-</p><p class="line">God's truth, a man were lightly dead </p><p class="line">For such a golden heritage!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But these, the surging centuries' wrack </p><p class="line">Beyond all tides auspicious thrown, </p><p class="line">Doomed with bowed head and thread-bareback </p><p class="line">To till the land they might not own;</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Reft of the swallow's tranquil lease, </p><p class="line">Reft of the scrap-fed robin's dole-</p><p class="line">How have these reared in starveling peace </p><p class="line">This flaming valiancy of soul? Ö</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">O England, when with fluttered breath </p><p class="line">You greet the victory they earn, </p><p class="line">And when with eyes that look on death </p><p class="line">This remnant of your sons return,</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">On your inviolate soil repent, </p><p class="line">And give the guerdon unbesought</p><p class="line">To these whose lives were freely lent </p><p class="line">Some share of that for which they fought!</p></div><p class="byline">Helen Parry Eden.</p>(The<em>Westminster Gazzete</em>.)</body></html> · Great War