And the Council of Democracy—a thousand fluent tongues—
Let the Germans have it hearty from its Democratic lungs.
Through the bursting of the shrapnel they were constant to the end,—
Kept referring to each other as "My honourable friend."
And in groups of ten and twenty they were blasted into space
By the disrespectful cannon of an Autocratic race,
Till the gathering had dwindled to an incoherent few,
Who were still explaining volubly what England ought to do,
When the cannon ceased abruptly and they heard the Germans cheer,
And a sergeant entered roaring, "Himmel, Ach! was Schmutz ist hier!