This is the trench that Fritz built.
This is the Hun who lay in the trench that Fritz built.
This is the gun that killed the Hun who lay in the trench that
Fritz built.
This is the farmer’s only son, who mans the gun that killed the
Hun, who lay in the trench that Fritz built.
This is the farmer, weary and worn, who raised the son, who mans
the gun, that killed the Hun, who lay in the trench that Fritz
built.
This is she, who in youth’s bright morn, was wed to the man, now
weary and worn, ’tis she to whom the son was born, who in front of
the battle, all tattered and torn, still mans the gun that killed
the Hun, who lay in the trench that Fritz built.
This is the slacker, all shaven and shorn, who drives a car with
a tooting horn, and laughs at the farmer weary and worn, and his
wife at work in the early morn, hoeing potatoes and beets and corn,
because the son, who to them was born, is in front of the battle,
all tattered and torn, still manning the gun that killed the Hun,
who lay in the trench that Fritz built.
This is the maid who treats with scorn the shifty slacker, all
shaven and shorn, and his shining car with the tooting horn,
but honors the farmer weary and worn, and his wife who helps him
hoe the corn, and milk the cows in the early morn, for she loves
the son who to them was born, who in front of the battle all
tattered and torn, still mans the gun that killed the Hun, who
lay in the trench that Fritz built!
(Abner Cosens)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, War & Peace Poems, Youth Poems, Sons Poems, Work & Career Poems, Cars Poems, Cows PoemsBased on Keywords: mans, hoeing, beets, slacker, shifty, tooting, manning