James Mccrae

8/12/2019 James Mccrae

1/29

A Song Of Comfort

by John McCrae

"Sleep, weary ones, while ye may --

Sleep, oh, sleep!"

Eugene iel

#hro$ May time blossoms, with whisper low,

#he soft win sang to the ea below%

"#hin& not with regret on the Springtime$s song

An the tas& ye left while your hans were strong

#he song woul ha'e cease when the Spring was past,

An the tas& that was (oyous be weary at last"

#o the winter s&y when the nights were long#he tree-tops tosse with a ceaseless song%

")o ye thin& with regret on the sunny ays

An the path ye left, with its untro ways*

#he sun might sin& in a storm clou$s frown

An the path grow rough when the night came own"

+n the grey twilight of the autumn e'es,

+t sighe as it sang through the ying lea'es%

"e thin& with regret that the worl was bright,

#hat your path was short an your tas& was light

#he path, though short, was perhaps the best

An the toil was sweet, that it le to rest"


2/29

Anarchy

by John McCrae

+ saw a city fille with lust an shame,

.here men, li&e wol'es, slun& through the grim half-light

An suen, in the mist of it, there cameOne who spo&e bolly for the cause of /ight

An spea&ing, fell before that brutish race

0i&e some poor wren that shrie&ing eagles tear,

.hile brute )ishonour, with her blooless face

Stoo by an smote his lips that mo'e in prayer

"Spea& not of 1o! +n centuries that wor

2ath not been uttere! Our own &ing are we"

An 1o stretche forth his finger as 2e hear

An o$er it cast a thousan leagues of sea


3/29

)isarmament

by John McCrae

One spa&e ami the nations, "0et us cease

rom ar&ening with strife the fair .orl$s light,

.e who are great in war be great in peace3o longer let us plea the cause by might"

4ut from a million 4ritish gra'es too& birth

A silent 'oice -- the million spa&e as one --

"+f ye ha'e righte all the wrongs of earth

0ay by the swor! +ts wor& an ours is one"


4/29

E5uality

by John McCrae

+ saw a 6ing, who spent his life to wea'e

+nto a nation all his great heart thought,

7nsatisfie until he shoul achie'e#he gran ieal that his manhoo sought

et as he saw the en within his reach,

)eath too& the sceptre from his failing han,

An all men sai, "2e ga'e his life to teach

#he tas& of honour to a sori lan!"

.ithin his gates + saw, through all those years,

One at his humble toil with cheery face,

.hom 8being ea9 the chilren, half in tears,

/emembere oft, an misse him from his place

+f he be greater that his people blesse

#han he the chilren lo'e, 1o &noweth best


5/29

E'entie

by John McCrae

#he ay is past an the toilers cease

#he lan grows im $mi the shaows grey,

An hearts are gla, for the ar& brings peaceAt the close of ay

Each weary toiler, with lingering pace,

As he homewar turns, with the long ay one,

0oo&s out to the west, with the light on his face

Of the setting sun

et some see not 8with their sin-imme eyes9

#he promise of rest in the faing light

4ut the clous loom ar& in the angry s&ies

At the fall of night

An some see only a golen s&y

.here the elms their welcoming arms stretch wie

#o the calling roo&s, as they homewar fly

At the e'entie

+t spea&s of peace that comes after strife,

Of the rest 2e sens to the hearts 2e trie,

Of the calm that follows the stormiest life --

1o$s e'entie


6/29

+n )ue Season

by John McCrae

+f night shoul come an fin me at my toil,

.hen all 0ife$s ay + ha, tho$ faintly, wrought,

An shallow furrows, cleft in stony soil.ere all my labour% Shall + count it naught

+f only one poor gleaner, wea& of han,

Shall pic& a scanty sheaf where + ha'e sown*

"3ay, for of thee the Master oth eman

#hy wor&% the har'est rests with 2im alone"


7/29

+n laners iels

by John McCrae

+n laners fiels the poppies blow

4etween the crosses, row on row,

#hat mar& our place an in the s&y#he lar&s, still bra'ely singing, fly

Scarce hear ami the guns below

.e are the )ea Short ays ago

.e li'e, felt awn, saw sunset glow,

0o'e an were lo'e, an now we lie,

+n laners fiels

#a&e up our 5uarrel with the foe%

#o you from failing hans we throw

#he torch be yours to hol it high+f ye brea& faith with us who ie

.e shall not sleep, though poppies grow

+n laners fiels


8/29

+sanlwana

by John McCrae

Scarlet coats, an crash o$ the ban,

#he grey of a pauper$s gown,

A solier$s gra'e in :ululan,An a woman in 4recon #own

My little la for a solier boy,

8Mothers o$ 4recon #own!9

My eyes for tears an his for (oy

.hen he went from 4recon #own,

2is for the flags an the gallant sights

2is for the meals an his for the fights,

An mine for the reary, rainy nights

At home in 4recon #own

#hey say he$s lai beneath a tree,

8Come bac& to 4recon #own!9

Shouln$t + &now* -- + was there to see%

8+t$s far to 4recon #own!9

+t$s me that &eeps it trim an rest

.ith a briar there an a rose by his breast --

#he English flowers he li&es the best

#hat + bring from 4recon #own

An + sit besie him -- him an me,

8.e$re bac& to 4recon #own9

#o tal& of the things that use to be

81rey ghosts of 4recon #own9

+ &now the loo& o$ the lan an s&y,

An the bir that buils in the tree near by,

An times + hear the (ac&als cry,

An me in 4recon #own

1olen grey on miles of san

#he awn comes creeping own

+t$s ay in far off :ululanAn night in 4recon #own


9/29

Mine 2ost

by John McCrae

#here stans a hostel by a tra'elle way

0ife is the roa an )eath the worthy host

Each guest he greets, nor e'er lac&s to say,"2ow ha'e ye fare*" #hey answer him, the most,

"#his loging place is other than we sought

.e ha intene farther, but the gloom

Came on apace, an foun us ere we thought%

et will we loge #hou hast abunant room"

.ithin sit haggar men that spea& no wor,

3o fire gleams their cheerful welcome she

3o 'oice of fellowship or strife is hear

4ut silence of a multitue of ea

"3aught can + offer ye," 5uoth )eath, "but rest!"An to his chamber leas each tire guest


10/29

;enance

by John McCrae

My lo'er ie a century ago,

2er ear heart stric&en by my slan$rous breath,

.herefore the 1os forbae that + shoul &now#he peace of eath

Men pass my gra'e, an say, "$#were well to sleep,

0i&e such an one, ami the uncaring ea!"

2ow shoul they &now the 'igils that + &eep,

#he tears + she*

7pon the gra'e, + count with lifeless breath,

Each night, each year, the flowers that bloom an ie,

)eeming the lea'es, that fall to reamless eath,

More blest than +

$#was (ust last year -- + hear two lo'ers pass

So near, + caught the tener wors he sai%

#o-night the rain-renche bree


11/29

=uebec

by John McCrae

->?@

Of ol, li&e 2elen, gueron of the strong --

0i&e 2elen fair, li&e 2elen light of wor, --

"#he spoils unto the con5uerors belong

.ho winneth me must win me by the swor"

1rown ol, li&e 2elen, once the (ealous pri


12/29

/ecompense

by John McCrae

+ saw two sowers in 0ife$s fiel at morn,

#o whom came one in angel guise an sai,

"+s it for labour that a man is born*0o% + am Ease Come ye an eat my brea!"

#hen glaly one forsoo& his tas& unone

An with the #empter went his slothful way,

#he other toile until the setting sun

.ith stealing shaows blurre the usty ay

Ere har'est time, upon earth$s peaceful breast

Each lai him own among the unreaping ea

"0abour hath other recompense than rest,

Else were the toiler li&e the fool," + sai

"1o meteth him not less, but rather more4ecause he sowe an others reape his store"


13/29

Slumber Songs

by John McCrae

+

Sleep, little eyes#hat brim with chilish tears ami thy play,

4e comforte! 3o grief of night can weigh

Against the (oys that throng thy coming ay

Sleep, little heart!

#here is no place in Slumberlan for tears%

0ife soon enough will bring its chilling fears

An sorrows that will im the after years

Sleep, little heart!

++

Ah, little eyes

)ea blossoms of a springtime long ago,

#hat life$s storm crushe an left to lie below

#he beneiction of the falling snow!

Sleep, little heart

#hat cease so long ago its frantic beat!

#he years that come an go with silent feet

2a'e naught to tell sa'e this -- that rest is sweet

)ear little heart


14/29

#he AnBious )ea

by John McCrae

O guns, fall silent till the ea men hear

Abo'e their heas the legions pressing on%

8#hese fought their fight in time of bitter fear,An ie not &nowing how the ay ha gone9

O flashing mu


15/29

#he Captain

by John McCrae

2ere all the ay she swings from tie to tie,

2ere all night long she tugs a ruste chain,

A masterless hul& that was a ship of prie,

et unashame% her memories remain

+t was 3elson in the Captain$, Cape St Dincent far alee,

.ith the Danguar$ leaing s$uth$ar in the ha


16/29

#he )ea Master

by John McCrae

Ami earth$s 'agrant noises, he caught the note sublime%

#o-ay aroun him surges from the silences of #ime

A floo of nobler music, li&e a ri'er eep an broa,it song for heroes gathere in the ban5uet-hall of 1o


17/29

#he )ying Of ;ere ;ierre

by John McCrae

" with two other priests the same night he ie,

an was burie by the shores of the la&e that bears his name"

Chronicle

"3ay, grie'e not that ye can no honour gi'e

#o these poor bones that presently must be

4ut carrion since + ha'e sought to li'e

7pon 1o$s earth, as 2e hath guie me,

+ shall not lac&! .here woul ye ha'e me lie*

2igh hea'en is higher than catheral na'e%

)o men paint chancels fairer than the s&y*"

4esie the ar&ene la&e they mae his gra'e,4elow the altar of the hills an night

Swung incense clous of mist in creeping lines

#hat twiste through the tree-trun&s, where the light

1rope through the arches of the silent pines%

An he, besie the lonely path he tro,

0ay, tombe in splenour, in the 2ouse of 1o


18/29

#he 2ar'est Of #he Sea

by John McCrae

#he earth grows white with har'est all ay long

#he sic&les gleam, until the ar&ness wea'es

2er web of silence o$er the than&ful songOf reapers bringing home the golen shea'es

#he wa'e tops whiten on the sea fiels rear,

An men go forth at haggar awn to reap

4ut e'er $mi the gleaners$ song we hear

#he half-hushe sobbing of the hearts that weep


19/29

#he 2ope Of My 2eart

by John McCrae

")elicta (u'entutis et ignorantius e(us, 5uoesumus ne memineris, )omine"

+ left, to earth, a little maien fair,

.ith loc&s of gol, an eyes that shame the light

+ praye that 1o might ha'e her in 2is care

An sight

Earth$s lo'e was false her 'oice, a siren$s song

8Sweet mother-earth was but a lying name9

#he path she showe was but the path of wrong

An shame

"Cast her not out!" + cry 1o$s &in wors come --

"2er future is with Me, as was her past

+t shall be My goo will to bring her home

At last"


20/29

#he 3ight Cometh

by John McCrae

Cometh the night #he win falls low,

#he trees swing slowly to an fro%

Aroun the church the heastones greyCluster, li&e chilren straye away

4ut foun again, an fole so

3o chiing loo& oth she bestow%

+f she is gla, they cannot &now

+f ill or well they spen their ay,

Cometh the night

Singing or sa, intent they go

#hey o not see the shaows grow

"#here yet is time," they lightly say,"4efore our wor& asie we lay"

#heir tas& is but half-one, an lo!

Cometh the night


21/29

#he Olest )rama

by John McCrae

"+t fell on a ay, that he went out to his father to the reapers

An he sai unto his father, My hea, my hea An he sai to a la,

Carry him to his mother An he sat on her &nees till noon,an then ie An she went up, an lai him on the be

An shut the oor upon him an went out"

+mmortal story that no mother$s heart

E'$n yet can rea, nor feel the biting pain

#hat rent her soul! +mmortal not by art

.hich ma&es a long past sorrow sting again

0i&e grief of yesteray% but since it sai+n simplest wor the truth which all may see,

.here any mother sobs abo'e her ea

An plays anew the silent tragey


22/29

#he ;ilgrims

by John McCrae

An uphill path, sun-gleams between the showers,

.here e'ery beam that bro&e the leaen s&y

0it other hills with fairer ways than oursSome clustere gra'es where half our memories lie

An one grim Shaow creeping e'er nigh%

An this was 0ife

.herein we i another$s buren see&,

#he tire feet we helpe upon the roa,

#he han we ga'e the weary an the wea&,

#he miles we lightene one another$s loa,

.hen, faint to falling, onwar yet we stroe%

#his too was 0ife

#ill, at the uplan, as we turne to go

Ami fair meaows, us&y in the night,

#he mists fell bac& upon the roa below

4ro&e on our tire eyes the western light

#he 'ery gra'es were for a moment bright%

An this was )eath


23/29

#he Shaow Of #he Cross

by John McCrae

At the rowsy us& when the shaows creep

rom the golen west, where the sunbeams sleep,

An angel muse% "+s there goo or ill

+n the ma worl$s heart, since on Cal'ary$s hill

$/oun the cross a mi-ay twilight fell

#hat ar&ene earth an o$ershaowe hell*"

#hrough the streets of a city the angel spe

0i&e an open scroll men$s hearts he rea

+n a monarch$s ear his courtiers lie

An humble faces hi hearts of prie

Men$s hate waBe hot, an their hearts grew col,

As they haggle an fought for the lust of gol

)espairing, he crie, "After all these years

+s there naught but hatre an strife an tears*"

2e foun two waifs in an attic bare

-- A single crust was their meagre fare --

One stro'e to 5uiet the other$s cries,

An the lo'e-light awne in her famishe eyes

As she &isse the chil with a motherly air%

"+ on$t nee mine, you can ha'e my share"

#hen the angel &new that the earthly cross

An the sorrow an shame were not wholly loss

At awn, when hushe was earth$s busy hum

An men loo&e not for their Christ to come,

rom the attic poor to the palace gran,

#he 6ing an the beggar went han in han


24/29

#he Song Of #he )erelict

by John McCrae

e ha'e sung me your songs, ye ha'e chante your rimes

8+ scorn your beguiling, O sea!9

e fonle me now, but to stri&e me betimes8A treacherous lo'er, the sea!9

Once + saw as + lay, half-awash in the night

A hull in the gloom -- a 5uic& hail -- an a light

An + lurche o$er to leewar an sa'e her for spite

rom the oom that ye mete to me

+ was sister to #errible$, se'enty-four,

8o ho! for the swing of the sea!9

An ye san& her in fathoms a thousan or more

8Alas! for the might of the sea!9

e taunt me an sing me her fate for a sign!.hat harm can ye wrea& more on me or on mine*

2o braggart! + care not for boasting of thine --

A fig for the wrath of the sea!

Some night to the lee of the lan + shall steal,

82eigh-ho to be home from the sea!9

3o pilot but )eath at the ruerless wheel,

83one &noweth the harbor as he!9

#o lie where the slow tie creeps hither an fro

An the shifting san laps me aroun, for + &now

#hat my gallant ol crew are in ;ort long ago --

or e'er at peace with the sea!


25/29

#he 7ncon5uere )ea

by John McCrae

" efeate, with great loss"

3ot we the con5uere! 3ot to us the blame

Of them that flee, of them that basely yiel

3or ours the shout of 'ictory, the fame

Of them that 'an5uish in a stric&en fiel

#hat ay of battle in the usty heat

.e lay an hear the bullets swish an sing

0i&e scythes ami the o'er-ripene wheat,

An we the har'est of their garnering

Some yiele, 3o, not we! 3ot we, we swear

4y these our wouns this trench upon the hill

.here all the shell-strewn earth is seame an bare,

.as ours to &eep an lo! we ha'e it still

.e might ha'e yiele, e'en we, but eath

Came for our helper li&e a suen floo

#he crashing ar&ness fell our painful breath

.e rew with gasps ami the cho&ing bloo

#he roar fell faint an farther off, an soon

San& to a foolish humming in our ears,

0i&e cric&ets in the long, hot afternoon

Among the wheat fiels of the olen years

4efore our eyes a bounless wall of re

Shot through by suen strea&s of (agge pain!

#hen a slow-gathering ar&ness o'erhea

An rest came on us li&e a 5uiet rain

3ot we the con5uere! 3ot to us the shame,.ho hol our earthen ramparts, nor shall cease

#o hol them e'er 'ictors we, who came

+n that fierce moment to our honoure peace


26/29

#he .arrior

by John McCrae

2e wrought in po'erty, the ull grey ays,

4ut with the night his little lamp-lit room

.as bright with battle flame, or through a ha


27/29

#hen An 3ow

by John McCrae

4eneath her winow in the fragrant night

+ half forget how truant years ha'e flown

Since + loo&e up to see her chamber-light,Or catch, perchance, her slener shaow thrown

7pon the casement but the noing lea'es

Sweep la


28/29

7nsol'e

by John McCrae

Ami my boo&s + li'e the hurrying years,

)isaining &inship with my fellow man

Ali&e to me were human smiles an tears,+ care not whither Earth$s great life-stream ran,

#ill as + &nelt before my moulere shrine,

1o mae me loo& into a woman$s eyes

An +, who thought all earthly wisom mine,

6new in a moment that the eternal s&ies

.ere measure but in inches, to the 5uest

#hat lay before me in that mystic ga


29/29

7pon .atts$ ;icture "Sic #ransit"

by John McCrae

".hat + spent + ha what + sa'e, + lost what + ga'e, + ha'e"

4ut yesteray the tourney, all the eager (oy of life,

#he wa'ing of the banners, an the rattle of the spears,

#he clash of swor an harness, an the maness of the strife

#o-night begin the silence an the peace of enless years

8One sings within9

4ut yesteray the glory an the pri

James Mccrae

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