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THE JEWISH SOLDIER (1), by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Mother england, mother england, 'mid the / thousands
Last Line: England say!
Alternate Author Name(s): Montefiore, Julia
Subject(s): Exiles; Great Britain - Civil War; Heroism; Jews; Right To Asylum; Soldiers; English Civil War; Heroes; Heroines; Judaism


MOTHER England, Mother England, 'mid the thousands
Far beyond the sea to-day,
Doing battle for thy honour, for thy glory,
Is there place for us, a little band of brothers,
England say?

Dost thou ask our name and nation, Mother England?
We have come from many lands,
Where the rod of the oppressor bowed and bent us,
Bade us stand with bated breath and humble gesture,
Suppliant hands.

Long ago and far away, O Mother England,
We were warriors brave and bold,
But a hundred nations rose in arms against us,
And the shadow of exile closed o'er those heroes
Days of old.

Thou hast given us home and freedom, Mother England,
Thou hast let us live again
Free and fearless midst thy free and fearless children,
Sharing with them, as one people, grief and gladness,
Joy and pain.

Now we Jews, we English Jews, O Mother England,
Ask another boon of thee!
Let us share with them the danger and the glory,
Where thy best and bravest lead, there let us follow
O'er the sea!

For the Jew has heart and hand, Mother England,
And they both are thine to-day—
Thine for life and thine for death, yea, thine forever!
Wilt thou take them as we give them, freely, gladly,
England say!





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