<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Avengers</h1><p class="inline-note" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">To our Soldiers in the Field.</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Not</span> only that your cause is just and right --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">This much was never doubted; war or play,</p><p class="line">We go with clean hands into any fight;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:8%">That is our English way; --</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Not this high thought alone shall brace your thews</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">To trample under heel those Vandal hordes</p><p class="line">Who laugh when blood of mother and babe imbrues</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:8%">Their damnèd craven swords.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But here must be hot passion, white of flame,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Pure hate of this unutterable wrong,</p><p class="line">Sheer wrath for Christendom so sunk in shame,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:8%">To make you trebly strong.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">These smoking hearths of fair and peaceful lands,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">This reeking trail of deeds abhorred of Hell,</p><p class="line">They cry aloud for vengeance at your hands,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:8%">Ruthless and swift and fell.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Strike, then -- and spare not -- for the innocent dead</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Who lie there, stark beneath the weeping skies,</p><p class="line">As though you saw your dearest in their stead</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:8%">Butchered before your eyes.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And though the guiltless pay for others' guilt</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Who preached these brute ideals in camp and Court;</p><p class="line">Though lives of brave and gentle foes be spilt,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:8%">That loathe this coward sport;</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">On each, without distinction, worst or best</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Fouled by a nation's crime, one doom must fall;</p><p class="line">Be you its instrument, and leave the rest</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:8%">To God, the Judge of all.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Let it be said of you, when sounds at length</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Over the final field the victor's strain: --</p><p class="line">"They struck at infamy with all their strength,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:8%">And earth is clean again!"</p></div><p class="byline">OWEN SEAMAN.<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/></p></body></html> · Great War