The Bee's Bayonet Part 5

THE SERVICE STAR

The stars are agleam in their azurine field, Diffusing effulgence afar; But magnitude, l.u.s.tre and fixedness yield To the glorious Service Star.

In aureate setting, a pendant aglare, Is the radiant Service Star; That blazes with fire like a rare solitaire, A gift to the Valkyr of War.

Protect thou our treasure, O, Valkyr! Restore Our Jewel so priceless! and bar From Valhalla's Dungeons, where Death's torrents pour, Our sanctified Service Star!

SOME DAY

Some day when the war is ended And we sail from France away, With sorrow and longings blended, Back home to America; And we live once more in Blighty A thousand years in a day, In the Land of G.o.d Almighty Where the Old Folks watch and pray: Some day, when we hit the pillow Again on a box-spring bed, As snug as an armadillo With his sh.e.l.l-protected head; When bugles refrain from tooting, And noises of battle stop; When victory ends recruiting, Or charging Over the Top: _Some_ day! when we're thru with fighting And the beaten Hun retreats; When the Cooties cease from biting And we sleep between the sheets!

THE CRUISE OF THE SEA SERPENT

And now behold the Merchant Submarine!

Only its peeking periscope is seen, But what a cyclorama it reveals To those below! Thru surging seas it steals And vies with dolphins, porpoises and sharks To keep apace with brigantines and barks; And, tho itself unseen, it's proud to show To what low depths a submarine can go.

The Cyclops sees as well by night as day; Its father, Neptune, gives it right of way: Amphibious, it rides the Ocean's crest, Or in its sunken Gardens takes its rest.

This new-type boat we designate as It Because no other p.r.o.noun seems to fit.

No water-laden craft could be a He, Nor one unspoken could be rated She.

The Germans call it _unter_: O. U. Cargo!

They aim to close the bar on the embargo.

Beneath the waves no lurching doth it feel But speeds its course upon an even keel.

With duplex engines and a double crew, (It's "manned" by mermaids when it's hid from view).

It scoffs at dangers, tho they lurk around, And shuts its _eye_ to perils that abound.

There's scant spare s.p.a.ce, but still its ribs enfold A priceless cargo in its shallow hold.

Past hostile ships into a neutral haven, It comes up smiling with all flags a wavin'.

But now these "Cargo Craft" throw off disguise And cut our neutral throats: it's no surprise That dastards, who as "sc.r.a.ps of paper" rate Their solemn Treaties, would thus lie in wait And murder innocents without emotion, Making a shambles of the outraged Ocean.

Now lashed to fury, see the waves rebel And sweep these Prussian Pirates down to h.e.l.l!

No longer neutral the Avenging Sword Is in our hands to smite the Hun-hound horde.

The G.o.d of Joshua, in righteous wrath Will, in its flight thru empyrean path, Command the Sun to stop: it is His will!

Till _Kultur_ be effaced--and not until.

AMERICA

America, Crusader in the Cause Of Liberty, before thy shrine we pause And offer grateful prayer that thou art Right In making demonstration of thy Might.

Without a thought of Conquest doth thou draw Thine honored sword for Liberty and Law, That Nations of a common tongue, tho weak, May gain the Peace with Freedom that they seek; And occupy again, when battles cease, Their places in the Firmament of Peace.

Fight on! Defender of the Cause! till Truth Shall banish Tyranny and Wars forsooth, And throttle _Kultur_ and its G.o.dless School, Till Teutons, purged, obey the Golden Rule!

LIFE AND LOVE

Life is the Echo of the Buried Past; A Soul reclaimed, an Atom born anew: Its fire burns on, tho flickering at the last, And finds its grand fulfillment, Love, in you.

LIFE IN DEATH

Why should we dread the Messenger of Death?

Who comes as friend when sufferings beset, And gives surcease of pain with final breath So that Life leaves, rejoiced, without regret.

GERMANY

O, Hun, from what low beast didst thou descend?

That thou shouldst have the l.u.s.t to kill and rend; The b.e.s.t.i.a.l pa.s.sion to enjoy the groans Of suffering victims, while you crunch their bones Or gouge their eyes, that mutely plead in vain For quick oblivion and ease from pain?

Of ponderous cast and savage mien, what teat, With Hatred filled and Pa.s.sion's fiery heat, Reared thee more wolf than man? ill-bred,--a curse To thine own kind, and to the Universe!

ITALY

Italians, hold! Rienzi pleads again Against the Tyrants: hold if ye be men!

Let not the foe despoil your fertile lands Or wrest historic treasures from your hands!

Guard well your daughters! Shield your budding sons!

Lest they be maimed or murdered by the Huns.

Soldiers of Italy, would ye be slaves To Teuton hordes? Behold the sacred graves Of Garibaldi and your martyred dead Who made ye Freemen! Wouldst be slaves instead?

The Alpine Pa.s.ses that were yours are lost; Your Northern Rivers have been reached and crossed; Hold, Romans, hold! Halt further Teuton gains, And drive their looting legions from your plains!

Hold! Men of Italy! Your wall of steel Can save fair Venice from the Despot's heel: Hold! Every man! for Honor, Country, Home-- And for the Glory of Eternal Rome!

MARY IS MERRY NO MORE

The Lamb that accompanied Mary Without aid of cudgel or rope, Was raised by her sire Elder Berry, And washed with dioxygen soap.