<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">A Contrast.</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">I <span class="smallcaps">by</span> the lapping of my household fire,</p><p class="line">You in the trenches, starved and stiff for cold,</p><p class="line">You by fatigue in few days grey and old,</p><p class="line">I with my strength no needs, no calls require:</p><p class="line">I wrapt in all the peace of heaven entire,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">You with Hell's powers of darkness fold on fold,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">You lacking all that life most dear can hold,</p><p class="line">And I with all my utmost heart's desire.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But God shall strike the balance: I have had</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">My good in this my lifetime -- all and more,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Have selfish sucked advantage from your strife,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">While you, brave heroes, on that further shore</p><p class="line">Shall find all good has equalised all bad;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Death may be mine -- you win eternal life.</p></div><p class="byline">H. D. RAWNSLEY.<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/></p></body></html> · Great War