<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">Two Julys</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">I WAS so vague in 1914; tossed</p><p class="line">Upon too many purposes, and worthless;</p><p class="line">Moody; to this world or the other lost.</p><p class="line">Essential nowhere; without calm and mirthless</p><p class="line">And now I have gained one for many ends.</p><p class="line">See my straight road stretch out so white, so slender.</p><p class="line">That happy road, the road of all my friends.</p><p class="line">Made glad with peace, and holy with surrender.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Proud, proud we fling to the winds of Time our token.</p><p class="line">And in our need there wells in us the power,</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Given England's swords to keep her honour clean.</p><p class="line">Which they shall be which pierce, and which be broken.</p><p class="line">We know not, but we know that every hour</p><p class="line">We must shine brighter, take an edge more keen.</p></div><p>July, 1915.</p></body></html> · Great War