'And what's the news, Mr. Sergeant, what news, my soldier man?' -- 'We're away and a-ship to Bel-gi-um as softly as ship can; The Kaiser and his Lords of War have shook a mailed fist, And a hundred thousand Englishmen are off to keep the tryst. 'The Kaiser he's a gentleman, and eager for to dance Across the floor of half the world from Petersburg to France; "In gay Paree, we'll sup," says he, "so Moltke, call the page, His name is little Bel-gi-um, and my pumps are in Liege." '"Soft," says Sir Edward, calm and cool, "there's them across the seas Are ready to take a turn, my lord, and join you, if you please; They're not such folk as @3wants@1 to jolt on any friendly toes, They'll merely set to partners, sir, and that's a game they knows. '"With Dreadnoughts here, two kinds of French, the Rooshans at your heel, They'll keep the ball a-rolling, sir, and face you keel to Kiel; And when it comes to hornpipes, la, Britannia's learned the knack Of dancing midnight down the sky and dancing morning back." 'So it's H'st, my lads, and Wh'st, my lads, the music's just begun, The gals have brought their powder-puffs, and the world shall watch the fun; There's Jellicoe to keep the row, and the Kaiser he shall prance With a leetle more broth than he @3meant@1 to spare 'twixt Petersburg and France.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CRYSTAL GAZER by SARA TEASDALE ST. JOHN'S, CAMBRIDGE; SONNET by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE HOUSE OF LIFE: 34. THE DARK GLASS by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI THE PREACHER by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER THE COLLEGE GARDEN; IN 1917 by ROBERT SEYMOUR BRIDGES LEARNING TO PLAY by ABBIE FARWELL BROWN |