Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ARMISTICE DAY, by ROSELLE MERCIER MONTGOMERY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ARMISTICE DAY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: I think I hear them stirring there, today
Last Line: The young dead weeping!
Subject(s): Holidays; Veterans Day; World War I; First World War


I THINK I hear them stirring there, today,
Who have lain still
So long, so long, beside the Aisne and Aire,
On Verdun hill.

I think I hear them whispering, today,
The young, the brave,
The gallant and the gay—unmurmuring long,
There in the grave.

I think I hear them sighing there, today—
They sigh for all
The glory and the wonder that was life—
Beyond recall!

I think that their young eyes are wistfully
On us who go
So gayly to our sports, this holiday ...
I think they know!

I think that they are listening today ...
I feel them near!
Our orators declaim—they answer back,
"Why lie we here?"

Across the fleet, forgetting years it comes,
Today—their cry,
"O World, O World, if it was all in vain,
Why did we die?"

Above the earth's enduring hates, they ask,
"Was it—for this?"
I think they are remembering, this day
Of Armistice!

And oh, I think I hear them weeping there
Who should be sleeping ...
A plaintive thing—to hear across the world
The young dead weeping!




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