Rhymes of a Red Cross Man

<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0029" id="link2H_4_0029"></SPAN></p> <br/> <h2> Pilgrims </h2> <p>For oh, when the war will be over<br/> We'll go and we'll look for our dead;<br/> We'll go when the bee's on the clover,<br/> And the plume of the poppy is red:<br/> We'll go when the year's at its gayest,<br/> When meadows are laughing with flow'rs;<br/> And there where the crosses are greyest,<br/> We'll seek for the cross that is ours.<br/> <br/> For they cry to us: 'Friends, we are lonely,<br/> A-weary the night and the day;<br/> But come in the blossom-time only,<br/> Come when our graves will be gay:<br/> When daffodils all are a-blowing,<br/> And larks are a-thrilling the skies,<br/> Oh, come with the hearts of you glowing,<br/> And the joy of the Spring in your eyes.<br/> <br/> 'But never, oh, never come sighing,<br/> For ours was the Splendid Release;<br/> And oh, but 'twas joy in the dying<br/> To know we were winning you Peace!<br/> So come when the valleys are sheening,<br/> And fledged with the promise of grain;<br/> And here where our graves will be greening,<br/> Just smile and be happy again.'<br/> <br/> And so, when the war will be over,<br/> We'll seek for the Wonderful One;<br/> And maiden will look for her lover,<br/> And mother will look for her son;<br/> And there will be end to our grieving,<br/> And gladness will gleam over loss,<br/> As&mdash;glory beyond all believing!<br/> We point . . . to a name on a cross.<br/></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />