We shall not forget them; why should pylons raise
Mute appeal for reverence, rememb’rance and regret?
Spectral cold in early dawn, and rosy flushed at eve,
A warning and a promising — we shall not forget.
We shall not forget them; though we be forgot,
We who blazed the trails of Hell from Souchez to the crest;
We who saw the gloaming creep that night across the ridge,
Who hollowed out the ancient chalk, and laid them to their rest.
We shall not forget them; we who saw the dawn
Shining cold on St. Eloi, where old wars linger yet;
Roman, Frank, and Spanish swords had rusted long ago,
Where our comrades’ blades were piled; we shall not forget.
We shall not forget them; we who yearly come
Must’ring at the cenotaphs to call the roll again;
Closing tattered ranks again to hear the parson pray,
Sighing envy out to them, when all hope is vain.
We shall not regret them; Life to them was kind,
A coursing swift and eager ‘twixt boyhood and the grave;
Reck they not of faith betrayed, or ken that profiteers
Ravish from the altar flame the offerings they gave.
We can not forget them, would we could forget!
Cast them to the limbo of the long-forgotten things.
The shibboleths they perished for, the Freedom of their dreams,
The honour they went surety for, the promises of kings.
We cannot forget them; soon they’ll be forgot.
Patience grant, good gentlemen, our ranks are thinning fast.
Ye may loot our pensions safely when tattoo has beat for us;
We need just a little longer; we’ll forget at last.
We shall soon be with them; these our last bequests;
Unto our sons, by grace of God, the youth we never knew;
To Canada, our faith she spurned, our bodies broke for her;
And — the judgement of the people on those who grudged our due!
(Burnett A. Ward)
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Based on Topics: God Poems, Life Poems, Youth Poems, Dreams Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Hope Poems, Belief & Faith Poems, Sons Poems, People Poems, Liberty & Freedom Poems, Hell PoemsBased on Keywords: limbo, tattoo, rance, long-forgotten, grudged, rememb, pensions, must, pylons, profiteers, shibboleths
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