<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">Before Action</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">OVER the down the road goes winding,</p><p class="line">A ribbon of white in the corn—</p><p class="line">The green, young corn. O, the joy of binding</p><p class="line">The sheaves some harvest morn!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But we are called to another reaping,</p><p class="line">A harvest that will not wait.</p><p class="line">The sheaves will be green. O, the world of weeping</p><p class="line">Of those without the gate!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">For the road we go they may not travel.</p><p class="line">Nor share our harvesting;</p><p class="line">But watch and weep. O, to unravel</p><p class="line">The riddle of this thing!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Yet over the down the white road leading</p><p class="line">Calls; and who lags behind?</p><p class="line">Stout are our hearts; but O, the bleeding</p><p class="line">Of hearts we may not bind!</p></div><p>SOMME, July, 1916.</p></body></html> · Great War