Armistice Day! when a new sun rose And the hate and the horror reached a close. ... But here is the slave of a crawling crutch, Maimed by the shrapnel's devilish whim, And trinkets and tributes don't mean much To a man torn limb from limb. Armistice Day! and a peace proclaimed, But how is it peace for the halt and maimed? Armistice Day! when the curtain dropped On the tragic field and the fight was stopped. ... But there are no fields nor hills nor skies For one whom the noon-day lends no light, For the horror of war ate out his eyes And his day is endless night! Armistice Day! with the war behind, But how is it ended for one made blind? Armistice Day! and the joy-bells ring And the children of earth leap up and sing. ... But one who is here is yet away And a maggot is at his festered brain. He whimpers and whines at his painful play And he giggles at sores and pain. Armistice Day! and the world is glad, But how is it happy for one made mad? Armistice Day! and the wild world cheers And laughs and forgets its foolish fears. ... But the wooden crosses stand in hordes And stretch white arms in endless prayer, For they who have paid for the broken swords Hold eternal armistice there. Armistice Day! with its petty pride! And the wars are ended—@3for those who died!@1 | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO MARY IN HEAVEN by ROBERT BURNS MANSONG: CHORAL by MARCUS ADENEY SHELLEY AND TRELAWNEY by JULIA COOLEY ALTROCCHI SUMMER'S JOE by PATRICK JOHN MCALISTER ANDERSON SONG: 3 by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD SPRING'S IMMORTALITY by H. T. MACKENZIE BELL |