<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="left" class="head">Mines</h1><h1 align="center" class="head"><span class="smallcaps">(Sent from France in November 1917)</span></h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">WHAT are you doing, Sentry,</p><p class="line">Fresh-faced and brown?</p><p class="line">Waiting for the mines, Sir,</p><p class="line">Sitting on the mines, Sir,</p><p class="line">Just to keep them down.</p><p class="line">Mines going up, and no one to tell for us</p><p class="line">Where it will be, and may be it's as well for us,</p><p class="line">Mines going up. Oh! God, but it's hell for us,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Here with the bloody mines.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">What are you doing, Sentry,</p><p class="line">Cold and drawn and grey?</p><p class="line">Listening to them tap, Sir,</p><p class="line">Same old tap, tap, tap, Sir,</p><p class="line">And praying for the day.</p><p class="line">Mines going up, and no one can say for us</p><p class="line">When it will be; but they waiting some day for us.</p><p class="line">Mines going up--oh! folk at home, pray for us</p><p class="line">Here with the bloody mines.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Where are you lying, Sentry?</p><p class="line">Wasn't this your place?</p><p class="line">Down below your feet, Sir,</p><p class="line">Below your heavy feet, Sir,</p><p class="line">With earth upon my face.</p><p class="line">Mines gone up, and the earth and the clod on us--</p><p class="line">Fighting for breath--and our own comrades trod on us.</p><p class="line">Mines gone up--Have pity, oh God! on us,</p><p class="line">Down in the bloody mines.</p></div></body></html> · Great War