Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, NINETEEN TWENTY-SIX, by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

NINETEEN TWENTY-SIX, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: How shall we keep it
Last Line: Holding there a crucifix.
Subject(s): Religion; Theology


How shall we keep it --
This power we have gained?
"With steel-lipped guns
And with men well trained,
With wave-smashing battleships,
With wind-smashing aircraft,
Red rum on our hips,
Battle-songs on our lips:
That's the way we'll keep it,"
The War Men laughed.

But the world is heavy
With a dead, cold host
Who died sword-weary,
Who died gun-weary,
Who died ere their time
To the deep, dull rhyme
Of the War Man's boast

These did not keep it --
The power they had gained
With full-throated gun-song,
Blood-spouting bayonets
And men well trained:
These did not keep it --
The power they had gained.

And here we stand,
NINETEEN TWENTY-SIX,
Hemmed in with steel guns
And full of the old tricks;
Holding here a hand-grenade,
Holding there a crucifix.





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