<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">In Lachrymarum Valle.</h1><h1 align="center" class="head"><em>Christmas, 1914.</em></h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">The</span> valley of the shadows tenebrous,</p><p class="line">The valley of tears, the valley desolate</p><p class="line">We tread where fiends of ravin and of hate</p><p class="line">Strike mortal cold to hearts most valorous;</p><p class="line">Mother, we cry to thee: our need is great;</p><p class="line">To thee we send up voices clamorous;</p><p class="line">Bend pitying eyes upon our woeful state,</p><p class="line">Mother of the Saviour, Mary Immaculate,</p><p class="line">Mary Annunciate, Mary Dolorous,</p><p class="line">Mary in Glory, pray thy Son for us,</p><p class="line">That He send forth the Dove from Heaven's gate</p><p class="line">Into our wasted lands and devastate,</p><p class="line">That He Who is our Peace rule over us</p><p class="line">In Peace that wars no more may desecrate.</p></div><p class="byline">R. L. GALES.<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/></p></body></html> · Great War