Poems of the Great War

by Published on behalf of the Prince of Wales's National Relief Fund

POEMS OF THE GREAT WAR

DUTY

Give gladly you rich—'tis no more than you owe—
For the weal of your Country, your wealth's
            overflow!
Even I that am poor am performing my part;
I am giving my brain, I am giving my heart.
 

WILLIAM WATSON

POEMS OF THE

GREAT WAR

PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF THE
PRINCE OF WALES'S NATIONAL
RELIEF FUND

LONDON
CHATTO & WINDUS
1914

NOTE

THIS collection of War Poems, the net profits from which will be given to the Prince of Wales's Fund, represents the free offering of English poets to the cause of National Relief.

Most of the poems have appeared recently in the Press. Mr. Robert Bridges' opening contribution, Mr. Henry Newbolt's, Mr. Maurice Hewlett's, Mr. R. E. Vernéde's, Mr. Binyon's, were all printed in the Times during the few days immediately following the declaration of war, as also was the sonnet by Mr. William Watson. Sir Owen Seaman's poem came out originally in Punch, "The Hour" in the Daily Telegraph, "The United Front" in the Daily Mail. "We Willed it Not" is reprinted from the Sphere, "Duty" and "Commandeered" from the Westminster Gazette, and the poems by Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Cecil Chesterton from the New Witness. The New Weekly published the verses by Mr. John Freeman, and the Daily Chronicle those by Mr. Harold Begbie. The two hymns which close the collection are reprinted, by special permission of their authors, from volumes previously published.

The publishers desire also to record their thanks to Mr. William Nicholson for the design which appears on the cover.

CONTENTS

		PAGE
"Wake up, England"	Robert Bridges	7
The Vigil	Henry Newbolt	9
To the Troubler of the World	William Watson	11
To England: To Strike Quickly	Maurice Hewlett	12
Fourth of August	Laurence Binyon	13
The United Front	Alfred Noyes	15
England to the Sea	R. E. Vernéde	18
The Hour	J. B. Fagan	21
The Wife of Flanders	G. K. Chesterton	23
The Stars in their Courses	John Freeman	25
Commandeered	L. G. Moberly	29
The Man who Keeps his Head	Harold Begbie	30
France	Cecil Chesterton	32
We Willed it Not	John Drinkwater	33
Pro Patria	Owen Seaman	35
Hymn before Action	Rudyard Kipling	37
Hymn in War Time	Robert Bridges	39