I am one with my fleet-foot forebear,skin-clad, with his flint-head spear;I am one with the savage tribesman,with his bow-string taut to his ear;I am one with them in their courage;one with them in their fear:As I lie out here, with dead men nearIn this Listening-Post with my gunThey and I are One!
I am one with the ancient Roman,pressing on in his grim phalanx;I am one with the Spartan, the Trojan,and the Grecian's steel-clad ranks;They with their Horse, Heaven-sent,and I with my earth-born "tanks";Illustration by Joseph Lee from 'Work-a-day Warriors' by Joseph Lee, published in 1917
"TANK" IN ACTION
As I move to attack, with my kit on my back,And my bombs and my steel-tipped gun,They and I are One!
I am one with the cohorts of Cæsar;with the hosts of Hannibal;With the legions of all the leadersto the last "Petit Caporal";One with the millions of nameless dead,who have fallen as soldiers fall:As I crawl through the breach in the battered wall,Or charge at the run with my gun,They and I are One!
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