'The true Soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because He loves what is behind him.' -G. K. Chesterton

03 February 2013

Sunday Kipling

For Ed.
 
For All We Have And Are
 
For all we have and are,
For all our children's fate,
Stand up and meet the war.
The Hun is at the gate!
Our world has passed away
In wantonness o'erthrown.
There is nothing left to-day
But steel and fire and stone.

Though all we knew depart,
The old commandments stand:
"In courage keep your heart,
In strength lift up your hand."

Once more we hear the word
That sickened earth of old:
"No law except the sword
Unsheathed and uncontrolled,"
Once more it knits mankind,
Once more the nations go
To meet and break and bind
A crazed and driven foe.

Comfort, content, delight —
The ages' slow-bought gain —
They shrivelled in a night,
Only ourselves remain
To face the naked days
In silent fortitude,
Through perils and dismays
Renewd and re-renewed.

Though all we made depart,
The old commandments stand:
"In patience keep your heart,
In strength lift up your hand."

No easy hopes or lies
Shall bring us to our goal,
But iron sacrifice
Of body, will, and soul.
There is but one task for all —
For each one life to give.
Who stands if freedom fall?
Who dies if England live?

5 comments:

Rev. Paul said...

That's a good one.

God, Gals, Guns, Grub said...

Wow... how relevant to these days of our lives...

Dann in Ohio

Six said...

Thanks Rev. and Dann. It's one of my all time favorites. It just seemed... appropriate today.

JihadGene said...

Very good, for sure!

Six said...

Thanks Gene!