Poetry by Bro. Edgar Guest
Mehr Licht!
More Light!
Number 95 – November 06, 2006
Today we have a good poem to share; I’m certain you’ll like it. It was written by Brother Edgar Guest, at one time the Poet Lauriat of Freemasonry. I had forgotten about this poem until Brother Milt Youmans sent it in the October 20th issue of the newsletter for Harry Truman Chapter no. 152 of the National Sojourners.
Veteran’ Day is November 11th.
The Things that Make a Soldier Great
By Edgar A. Guest
The things that make a soldier great and send him out to die,
To face the flaming cannon's mouth nor ever question why,
Are lilacs by a little porch, the row of tulips red,
The peonies and pansies, too, the old petunia bed,
The grass plot where his children play, the roses on the wall:
'Tis these that make a soldier great. He's fighting for them all.
Tis not the pomp and pride of kings that make a soldier brave; 'tis not allegiance to the flag that over him may wave; for soldiers never fight so well on land or on the foam as when behind the cause they see the little place called home. Endanger but that humble street whereon his children run, you make a soldier of the man who never bore a gun.
What is it through the battle smoke the valiant solider sees?
The little garden far away, the budding apple trees,
The little patch of ground back there, the children at their play,
Perhaps a tiny mound behind the simple church of gray.
The golden thread of courage isn't linked to castle dome
But to the spot, where'er it be — the humblest spot called home.
And now the lilacs bud again and all is lovely there and homesick soldiers far away know spring is in the air; the tulips come to bloom again, the grass once more is green, and every man can see the spot where all his joys have been. He sees his children smile at him, he hears the bugle call, and only death can stop him now — he's fighting for them all.
More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to erh@youbetnet.com with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3,’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.
Fraternally,
Ed Halpaus
Dear Subscriber – I have had problems with my web site and e-mail address linked to the web site. So in the meantime the E-mail to contact me at is erh@youbetnet.com
I am working on getting my domain name and e-mail connected with my domain name working again, but in the mean time I need to go back to the way things were done prior to all the conveniences connected with the domain and mail distribution site connected with it.
When all of this is back on line, or if I need to make more changes I will let you know. In the meanwhile please contact me at erh@youbetnet.com
Thanks and Fraternally,
Ed Halpaus
More Light!
Number 95 – November 06, 2006
Today we have a good poem to share; I’m certain you’ll like it. It was written by Brother Edgar Guest, at one time the Poet Lauriat of Freemasonry. I had forgotten about this poem until Brother Milt Youmans sent it in the October 20th issue of the newsletter for Harry Truman Chapter no. 152 of the National Sojourners.
Veteran’ Day is November 11th.
The Things that Make a Soldier Great
By Edgar A. Guest
The things that make a soldier great and send him out to die,
To face the flaming cannon's mouth nor ever question why,
Are lilacs by a little porch, the row of tulips red,
The peonies and pansies, too, the old petunia bed,
The grass plot where his children play, the roses on the wall:
'Tis these that make a soldier great. He's fighting for them all.
Tis not the pomp and pride of kings that make a soldier brave; 'tis not allegiance to the flag that over him may wave; for soldiers never fight so well on land or on the foam as when behind the cause they see the little place called home. Endanger but that humble street whereon his children run, you make a soldier of the man who never bore a gun.
What is it through the battle smoke the valiant solider sees?
The little garden far away, the budding apple trees,
The little patch of ground back there, the children at their play,
Perhaps a tiny mound behind the simple church of gray.
The golden thread of courage isn't linked to castle dome
But to the spot, where'er it be — the humblest spot called home.
And now the lilacs bud again and all is lovely there and homesick soldiers far away know spring is in the air; the tulips come to bloom again, the grass once more is green, and every man can see the spot where all his joys have been. He sees his children smile at him, he hears the bugle call, and only death can stop him now — he's fighting for them all.
More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to erh@youbetnet.com with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3,’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.
Fraternally,
Ed Halpaus
Dear Subscriber – I have had problems with my web site and e-mail address linked to the web site. So in the meantime the E-mail to contact me at is erh@youbetnet.com
I am working on getting my domain name and e-mail connected with my domain name working again, but in the mean time I need to go back to the way things were done prior to all the conveniences connected with the domain and mail distribution site connected with it.
When all of this is back on line, or if I need to make more changes I will let you know. In the meanwhile please contact me at erh@youbetnet.com
Thanks and Fraternally,
Ed Halpaus
Labels: Poetry