Page:A treasury of war poetry, British and American poems of the world war, 1914-1919.djvu/80

 80 SEDAN

RANCELINE rose in the dawning grey,

And her heart would dance though she knelt to pray,

For her man Michel had holiday,

Fighting for France.

She offered her prayer by the cradle-side,

And with baby palms folded in hers she cried:

"If I have but one prayer, dear, crucified

Christ—save France!

"But if I have two, then, by Mary's grace,

Carry me safe to the meeting-place,

Let me look once again on my dear love's face,

Save him for France!"

She crooned to her boy: "Oh, how glad he'll be

Little three-months old, to set eyes on thee!

For, 'Rather than gold, would I give,' wrote he,

'A son to France.'