LUSITANIA
(May 7, 1915)
Who that can strike a blow
Now will refrain?
Who with the right to go
Now will remain?
Never was blood so spilt
Under God's vault,
Shame and eternal guilt
Now if you halt.
Who that has prayed for peace
Now will forgive?
Who can have any ease
Now while they live?
Into their land we'll break,
Onward we'll thrust,
Yea, for our children's sake
Beat them to dust.
"Wait, in a little time,"
(Mark how they live)!
"Men will forget this crime,
Soon will forgive;
England will heed our plea:
When the war ends
We shall shake hands and be
Look, on a crimson tide
Drifts the great host,
Mother and babe collide,
Ghost upon ghost:
See how they make, those tears,
Pillars of spray,
Never in all God's years
Dying away.
Who that can strike a blow
Now will refrain?
Who with the right to go
Now will remain?
Ah, to be young again!
Ah, to be strong!
One, one with England's men
Marching along!
Rise like a fire and go
Fierce to this strife,
On, give them blow for blow,
Life against life:
Theirs to be infamous
Dust of the sod,
Yours to be glorious
Victors of God.
Harold Begbie
By permission of the Author