HOMERIC DAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11594, 12 January 1916, Page 4

HOMERIC DAYS.

When Homer smote his blooming Jyrc There were no diplomatic- notes; The_ ancients ahvays opened fire When some one calmly .sank their boats. The late resort to pen and ink Was never dreamed of very much. Nor were the Greeks disposed to wink Through their stenographer?! and eh eh. Their swords and shields Began to clink, And straightway war Tbrew in the dutch. The nice restraint of later days Was' not for Greece when Homer sang; The .nation rallied in amazo, And all the bugles shrilly rang. That something forwarded by mail Could take the place of shrapnel steel Had nob been dreamed when Greece was pale And all men rounded to her weal. Those rare refinements Which prevail Were nothing she Could ever feel. Or whether this was right or wrong Is not, of course, for us) to sayThe ancients somehow got along. And lived quite fully in their day. The only note they knew about Was that which came from war's own throat, Nor did their enemies mnch doubt The meaning of that ringing note. They did not have What wo would call Diplomacy In time remota.