Page:Canadian poems of the great war.djvu/193

 Major Charles G. D. Roberts

The distinguished Canadian litterateur, now serving in the Cana dian War Records Office, London, England. Eldest son of late Rev. George Goodridge Roberts, M.A., LL.D., Rector of Frederic- ton, N.B., and Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, and Emma Weimore Bliss, daughter of the late Hon. G. T. Bliss, Attorney- General of New Brunswick. Educated at Fredericfon Collegiate School, and at the University of New Brunswick (B.A., 1879; M.A., 1881; LL.D., honorary, 1906}. Author of seven books of poetry of rare excellence, and many volumes of beautiful prose histories, novels and stories of animals.

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��CAMBRAI AND MARNE

EFORE our trenches at Cambrai We saw their columns cringe away. We saw their masses melt and reel Before our line of leaping steel.

A handful to their storming hordes, We scourged them with the scourge of swords, And still, the more we slew, the more Came up for every slain a score.

Between the hedges and the town The cursing squadrons we rode down; To stay them we outpoured our blood Between the beetfields and the wood.

In that red hell of shrieking shell Unfaltering our gunners fell; They fell, or ere that day was done, Beside the last unshattered gun.

But still we held them, like a wall On which the breakers vainly fall Till came the word, and we obeyed, Reluctant, bleeding, undismayed.

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