Rhymes of a Red-Cross Man/Our Hero

Our Hero
"Flowers, only flowers — bring me dainty posies,      Blossoms for forgetfulness," that was all he said; So we sacked our gardens, violets and roses, Lilies white and bluebells laid we on his bed. Soft his pale hands touched them, tenderly caressing; Soft into his tired eyes came a little light; Such a wistful love-look, gentle as a blessing; There amid the flowers waited he the night.

"I would have you raise me; I can see the West then:      I would see the sun set once before I go." So he lay a-gazing, seemed to be at rest then, Quiet as a spirit in the golden glow. So he lay a-watching rosy castles crumbling, Moats of blinding amber, bastions of flame, Rugged rifts of opal, crimson turrets tumbling; So he lay a-dreaming till the shadows came.

"Open wide the window; there's a lark a-singing;      There's a glad lark singing in the evening sky. How it's wild with rapture, radiantly winging:       Oh it's good to hear that when one has to die. I am horror-haunted from the hell they found me;       I am battle-broken, all I want is rest. Ah! It's good to die so, blossoms all around me,       And a kind lark singing in the golden West.

"Flowers, song and sunshine, just one thing is wanting,      Just the happy laughter of a little child." So we brought our dearest, Doris all-enchanting; Tenderly he kissed her; radiant he smiled. "In the golden peace-time you will tell the story      How for you and yours, sweet, bitter deaths were ours. . . . God bless little children!" So he passed to glory, So we left him sleeping, still amid the flow'rs.