Ballads of Battle/The Bayonet

by Joseph Lee

THE BAYONET

The rifle bullet ranges far,
The bursting shell seeks wide,
The mortar and machine guns are
Both trusty friends and tried;
But the swiftest weapon in the war
Is the steel swings by my side.

The rifle rings out sharp and clear,
The "75" can speak,
And viciously upon the car
Sound "swish-bang" and "pip-squeak,"
But the bayonet is the Silent Fear
In this game of hide-and-seek.

The bullet speeds with wail and sob,
The shrapnel showers its hails,
But the keen-edged bayonet point can probe
Where the leaden pellet fails;
And the "white arm" finishes the job—
And dead men tell no tales!

The mortar gun is full of ire
When once ye do begin it,
The facile mitrailleuse can fire
Seven hundred rounds a minute,
But "La Rosalie" will never tire
When once her finger's in it.

The blade upon the barrel clicks
When the battle is begun,
And often has the Captain's "Fix!"
Carried us out o' one;
Then thrust and parry—these the tricks
By which the trench is won.

With thrust and parry, lunge and point,
Point, parry, lunge, and thrust;
Our knees seem going at the joint,
Our hearts beat fit to burst—
And then—may Christ our souls aroint,―
We stab at what seems accurst!—Ugh!

The rifle bullet ranges far,
The bursting shell seeks wide,
The mortar and machine guns are
Both trusty tools and tried;
But the surest weapon in the war
Is the steel swings by my side!