CURRENTS WAR POETRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 57, 23 February 1918, Page 13

CURRENTS WAR POETRY.

AIT UNBIDDEN GCEST, ' ' N " - The Kaiser was holding a birthday, with feasting and revel, and wine, And the roar of his cannon re-echoed from r.iga across to the Rhine, Blaspheming the name of his Maker, mouthing a braggart boast. He stood at his birthday table, and caUed for another toast. , "Here's to my gallant aUies, and here's to • them every.one, Since their God has been good and allowed them to share In my place In the sun!'-' Then, spite of the burst of cheering, and spite of the drunken din, There came a voice from the doorway— "Pardon, may I come in?"

"Who is it seeketh to enter?" the wonde.ing KAiser cried, - And, "Only another ally," /the -same sleek voice replied: "Only another ally, bringing his homage to yoa, - ' ' And rendering every honour where honour is surely due." c

Then the Kaiser looked down the table, to the guests who had come at his call, Turk and arrogant Austrian, bargaining: Bulgar and all.' "An ally that I have forgotten? Then open my portals wide!" So did they leap to his bldidng—and the Devil. stepped inside.

There did he stand in the doorway, looking around with a grin, As he numbered his newly found comrades in thei. brotherhood of sin, "Sir, I am proud to toast you, for ever since hell had birth,. I had hoped to and the colleague who would open a branch on earth!"

Then he snapped his wavering wtne-glaso as he swung on his bcS"to go, , And tbe -wine ran down o'er, the damask cloth like' blood on the Belgian snow."Brothers," he cried, "I leave you—but not with a final toast— To-nlgbt I stand yonr unbidden gliest—tomorrow I'll be your host." —"San Francisco Chronicle." WE'RE COMING ! We are coming, Mother England, we are coming millions.strong, Hands across the sea.are reaching, gripped to rid the world of wrong; We ' are coming, ■ stricken ißelgium, there with you to -face The foe, Pledged to make the haughty Prussian pay iv full for all your .woe.

•We are coming, France,' our sister, the glorious and .fair, By your side we'll soon be fighting in the trenches, in the,air; ' , And the Hun shall feel the power of the meu from o'er the sea, We are coming and are-swearing that this whole world shall be free.

We are coming, fair Italia, land from which - Columbus came, ' ' We, Columbia's' sous, are coming, coming iv Columbia's name. Now to raise our starry banner where a Caesar wore the crown, Knowing that when-once we raise it, naught . on earth shall tear it down.

We are coming, German Kaiser, call your hosts from hill and plain. Mass your men and mass yonr cannon, but your work will be,in vain, We are coming, German Kaiser, and our coming sounds the knell Of your boasted German Kultur that has made ou earth a hell.

We are coming, men of Europe, we are coming millions strong, There to stay and ne'er to falter, tho' the fight be bard and long. ''To tbe end" shall be our slogan—for the world it SHALL .be free, And the evil power of despots crushed at last on land and sea.

Hohenzollerns. Hnpsburgs, hearken to the fast approaching beat Of the foosteps of a nation that ha 6 never _own defeat, Clad in armour of"""the righteous, caring naught for German might. We arfc coming, we are coming, there to win or die for right. . -tJUTJGE STEPHEN C. BKAGAW. ' Washington, North Carolina. • - ■ ►-'