Fifes And Drums - Poems Of American At War

FIFES AND DRUM J ajbWar, FOREWORD These poems, written under tlie immediate stress of great events by those who have banded, themselves together under the name of The Vigi lanteSj furnish a striking record of the emotional reactions of the American people during the fort night preceding and the six weeks following the declaration of war. They are presented to the public in the belief that men and women in every corner of the Union will find reflected in them some of the love and aspiration they themselves are experiencing for their re-discovered country. CONTENTS PAGE AMERICA UNAFRAID . . . Charles Hanson Towne . 13 THE ULTIMATE ARGUMENT . Arthur Guiterman 16 THE SONG . . . . . Marion Couthouy Smith . 18 PEACE WITH A SWORD . . Abbie Far well Brown . ., 22 THE PACIFISTS LAMENT . Don Marquis . . . . 24 AT ANY PRICE .... Lee Wilson Dodd ... 25 THE ANSWER Marion Couthouy Smith . 29 IN TIME OF DANGER . . Clinton Scollard ... 31 To AMERICA Lee Wilson Dodd ... 33 ODE TO TONSILITIS . . . Wallace Irwin .... 35 APRIL. 2ND . Theodosia Garrison . . 37 THE FLAG GOES UP . . . Amelia Josephine Burr . 38 FALL-IN . . . . . . Amelia Josephine Burr . 40 BLACK FLAG Edith M. Thomas ... 42 A SONG OF DEMOCRACY . . Lee Wilson Dodd ... 44 OUR ATTVT Louis How 47 THE BINDING OF THE BEAST George Sterling . . . 49 THE FLAG ..... George E. Wobdberry . . 53 To ALL AMERICANS . . . Amelia Josephine Burr . 55 vii Viii CONTENTS PAGE WAB SONG OF AMEKICA . . Grantland Rice ... 57 PROCESSIONAL .... Gale Young Rice ... 59 OMNISCIENT MB. FALL . . Lee Wilson Dodd ... 61 THE STABS AND STRIPES . Theodosia Garrison . . 64 THE GERMAN-AMERICAN . Katkerine Lee Bates . . 66 OUR BARGAIN .... Amelia Josephine Burr, 68 BLOW, O YE BUGLES. . Clinton Scollard ... 70 AMERICA IN ARMS . . . Percy Mao Kay e ... 71 To THE ALLIES .... Laura E. Richards . . 74 OF KINGS Clinton Scollard ... 76 THE KAISER Florence Earle Coates . . 77 THE RETURN OF THE EXILES George E. Woodberry ., 79 MESSENGERS Florence Mary Bennett . 80 SHOULDER TO SHOULDER . Clinton Scollard ... 82 THE ROUNDABOUT COMMIT TEE AND THE CIRCUMLOCU TION BOABD .... Wallace Irvrin . 84 AMERICA Lee Wilson Dodd ... 88 AMERICA, To ARMS . . . Blanche ShoemaTcerWag staff 91 A LESSON IN MANNERS . . Theodosia Garrison . . 92 COME TO THE COLORS . . Laura E. Richards . . 94 OUR FLAG IN FRANCE . . Marion Couihouy Smith . 96 THE AMERICAN FLAG . . Theodosia Garrison . .98 THE YOUNG BLOOD SPEAKS Mary Farley Sanborn . . 100 CONTENTS Surely the time for making songs has come Now that the Spring is in the air again. Trees blossom though men bleed and after rain The robins hop and soon the bees will hum. Long was the winter, long our lips were dumb. Long under snow our loyal dreams have lain. Surely the time for making songs has come Now that the Spring is in the air again. The Spring with bugles and a rumbling drum Oh, builders of high music out of pain, Now is the hour with singing to make vain The boast of kings in Pandemonium Surely the time for making songs has cornel H. H. FIFES AND DRUMS AMERICA UNAFRAID I AMERICA will wake To the stern task before her. She will break The bonds of Sloth and dull Indifference, And, with the soul of Lincoln in her eyes, Dare to be great and wise Dare to be valiant with the valor still That echoes from the crest of Bunker Hill The valor that gave Grant and Z, ee their fame After the battle-flame The valor that has kept our country whole While theclean years unroll 13