Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


COLONEL TIL by WILLIAM A. PHELON

First Line: WE HAVE SEEN SCORES OF MAGNATES COME
Last Line: COLONEL TIL!
Subject(s): BASEBALL; FAREWELL; PRAISE; SPORTS; SPORTSMANSHIP; WAR; PARTING;

WE HAVE seen scores of magnates come and go—
Colonel Til—
We've seen the long procession, to and fro—
Colonel Till!
Some of those we loved the best,
Men who stood the acid test,
Left us all too soon—"went west,"
Colonel Til!

But you joined us. When you came,
Colonel Til,
New life thrilled the good old game,
Colonel Til!
You were something grandly new,
Fan and sportsman, through and through,
Winning prince, good loser too—
Colonel Til!

Now, you leave us. Leave us flat—
Colonel Til!
For you say the crashing bat—
Colonel Til—
And the myriads' applause
Count as naught beside the cause
Of the wounded soldiers? Pause,
Colonel Til!
Can't BOTH issues hold you, friend?

We are with you to the end—
Colonel Til!



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