<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Return</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Home</span> across the clover</p><p class="line">When the war was over</p><p class="line">Came the young men slowly with an air of being old,</p><p class="line">On a morning blue and gold</p><p class="line">Through the weed-grown meadow-places</p><p class="line">Marched young soldiers with old faces,</p><p class="line">Marched the columns of the Emperor with dull, bewildered eyes,</p><p class="line">And the day was like a rose upon the skies;</p><p class="line">But they feared both light and life,</p><p class="line">Feared the aftermath of strife.</p><p class="line">Slow they came --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Now that it was over --</p><p class="line">Silent and sick and lame,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Home across the clover.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">A woman knelt in a garden by the road,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Patting a little mound of earth</p><p class="line">With aimless hands. Along the highway flowed</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The gray tide, while the day was at its birth.</p><p class="line">She heard the drums, looked up, half smiled:</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">"Why do you march," she said, "and play at soldiers?</p><p class="line">There's none to laugh at you -- no little child!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Not one. They've all gone back to sleeping."</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">She fell to awful weeping.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">"Why do you play at soldiers?"</p><p class="line">Then dropped down</p><p class="line">To pat the little grave. The line went on and on into the town.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">They saw it first in the city's eyes,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Old men grouped by their fright, ran here and there</p><p class="line">In startled herds, with shrill unmeaning cries.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And there was white in every woman's hair,</p><p class="line">And when a window yielded them a face</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">'Twas like a flower blasted by the sun;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Children there were none.</p><p class="line">The world seemed robbed of joyousness and grace,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">A young girl with a head of snow</p><p class="line">Sat weaving garlands in the market-place</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">With hands unearthly slow,</p><p class="line">As though her toil must be</p><p class="line">The very measure of eternity.</p><p class="line">A boy ran from the ranks, stooped, touched her brow;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">"Margot, Margot! Is it thou?"</p><p class="line">She did not glance up at the white-faced lad.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Deep in the gray line rang a sudden shout:</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">"They're mad! They're mad !"</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%"><em>"Silence, you dogs, until you're mustered out.</em></p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Forward, to greet the Emperor."</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:30%">The line</p><p class="line">Wavered and moaned and stumbled through the town</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Like some dark serpent with a broken spine.</p><p class="line">Before the palace gate, in cloak and crown,</p><p class="line">A shriveled figure sat with shaking hands,</p><p class="line">Forming toy soldiers into various bands.</p><p class="line">A figure in a jeweled diadem,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Who, as the swords leaped with a ringing noise,</p><p class="line">Lifted his wasted eyes and looked at them.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">"Ah !" said the Emperor, and smiled:</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">"More toys!"</p></div><p class="byline">-- Dana Burnet.</p></body></html> · Great War