Hasn't knit no scarf or sweater,
Hasn't made no socks for me;
Little brother, he can rustle
For himself alone, you see!
Maw is on the Help Committee,
Paw is drillin' with th' Guard;
Brother's soldierin'—and sister's
Knittin' fast
An' awful hard!
No, they won't pay me no 'tention,
So I'm goin' to run away,
Join th' army as a—as a
Bellboy, may be, without pay.
Then I'll get a scarf an' sweater
And some socks, soon as I go,
From some other feller's sister
That I do not
Even know.
THE SOUL OF SERGEANT TODD
"I wasn't so much of a soldier," said the soul of Sergeant Todd,
(Fumbling at his medal, that statement sounded odd.)
"I wasn't so much of a fighter, but when they came, and came,
Yelling and shooting, I just got mad, and I reckon I did the same.
Into my trench they piled—just boys—
Making a most outlandish noise."
A Corporal's soul beside him nodded and mustered a smile:
"You handled a dozen at once," he said; "they didn't come single file.
If you wasn't 'much of a soldier,' or shirked in your duty—well, say,
What sort of a chance have other men got when tested on Judgment Day?
You fought them all, you did; and when
They quit, you started in again!"
"Shut up!" said the soul of Sergeant Todd; "you're still in my squad, McQuade,
I say that I lacked what you did not lack—courage to die, unafraid.
I was a coward, a trembling coward, deep in my craven heart;
I fought with the fear of that fear at my soul, playing no hero's part!
You can't understand it—but I
Had none of the courage—to die!
"And now that I'm dead," said the troubled soul of the one-time Sergeant Todd,
"It didn't seem right that those who live should think I have met our God
As a brave man does: his honor clear, with his courage unscathed and whole.
On this high plane there is no room for a fear-troubled human soul;
So Sergeant Todd" (he bowed his head)
"Fears no more—for his body's dead!"
THE BUSY LADY
We meet ev'ry week to make surgical dressings—
And one woman does it dead wrong;
I watched her a day—then I just had to say,
"My dear! If I may—that's too long!"
While I was explaining the teacher came by—
She's so cross that her mouth's just a line—
And found fault with me and my work....
After that
I'll mind no one's business but mine!
To-day I was filling my neighbor's slow mind
With War-Garden ideas and lore,
When a dog I don't know just ruined mine—so
I'll not advise her any more!
Then a talk that I gave to the Home Service Group
On "Waste" was quite spoiled—though 'twas fine—
By my bread burning up while I talked....
After this
I'll mind no one's business but mine!