Page:The Muse in Arms, Osborn (ed), 1917.djvu/140

98 "My brothers? Any news, you ask?

No, m'm! Nor like to be

A fortnight yet! Maybe they're both

Asleep beneath the sea!

I saw 'em start two years agone

Next August—and I says

We'll see 'em back by Christmas time—

But we don't know God's ways!

"I'll pull her round the fishing-boats!

The Polly's lying there!

D'you see her, m'm? The prettiest smack

For weather foul or fair!

It's just the ways they've builded her

As seems to make her feel

Alive! She's fifty sovereigns' worth

O' lead along her keel.

"Fine men my brothers war—I'll tie

Her up against this boom!

Don't fear to move free! This here boat

Is built with lots o' room!

You're safe with Jacob Matthews, m'm!

He's ne'er been called a fool

By any of the fisher-folk

As lives in little Poole!

"How many left? Well, maybe half;

They've gone off one by one.

It's likely I'll be gone myself

Afore the war is done.