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Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16233, 31 March 1917, Page 3

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BEFORE ACTION., "By all the glories of tho day And the cool evening's henison l , By that last slinsot touch that Jay, ' Upon the hfus when day was done,. By beauty lavishly outpoured And blessings carelessly 'received,! By all the days that I have lived ' Make nip a soldier, Lord. By all of all mans' hones and fears, And all the wonders poets sing, The! laughter, of unclouded years', And every sad and lovely thing;' By the romantic ages stored •'■'■■■. With high endeavour that was hie, By all his mad catastrophes Makome a man, O Lord. I, that on my familiar Jul 1 Saw with uncomprehending eyes. . A hundred of Thjr sunuets spill Their fresh and sanguine sacrifice, Ere the sun swings his noonday sword Must, say good-bye to all of this;— Bv alt delights -that I shall miss, Help me to die, 0 Lord." .'■;..., —Lieutenant W. N. Hodgson. MAGPIES IN PICARDY Tho magpies in Picardy Aro more than I can tell. They flicker down the dusty roads And cast a magic spell On/lEho men who march through Picardy, Through Picardy .to hell., {The blackbird flies with panic, Tlie swallow goes like light, Tho finches move like ladies, 'The owl! f.oats by at night; But tho great and flashing inagpi« He flies as artists might.). 'A magpie in Picardy Told mo 6ecret th'mgs— CM' the musio in white feathers. And tho sunlight that sings And dances in deep shadows—He takl mo with his wings.. [(The Hawk is cruel and rigid, Ho watches from a height; , Tin- rook is slow and sombre, Tho robin loves to fight; But the great and flashing magpie He flies as lovers might.) Ho told mo that in Picardy, Ah age ago or more, While all his fathers still were eggs, These dusty highways bore' Brown, sinking soldiers marching outiThrough Picardy to war. r Ho said that still through chaos Works on the ancient plan, 'And two things have altered not Since first the world began— The beauty of the wild creon earth' And tho bravery of man.. (For the sparrow flica unthihlnug- '"e And quarrels in his :f!ieht, ' The heron trails hip leccs behind, Tlie lark goes out of sight; put f&he ereat and flashing, magpie He flies na poets might.) (By "Tlpcuoa'.' in th<» "Westminster •,' ' Graphic")