Jessie Pope: War Poetry Poem Text

Jessie Pope: War Poetry Poem Text

"War Girls" (Excerpt)

"There's the girl who clips your ticket for the train,

And the girl who speeds the lift from floor to floor,

There's the girl who does a milk-round in the rain,

And the girl who calls for orders at your door.

Strong, sensible, and fir,

They're out to show their grit,

And tackle jobs with energy and knack.

No longer cages and penned up,

They're going to keep their end up

Till the khaki soldier boys come marching back."

"Who's for the Game?" (Excerpt)

"Who's for the game, the biggest that's played,

The red crashing game of a fight?

Who'll grip and tackle the job unafraid?

And who thinks he'd rather sit tight?

Who'll toe the line for the signal to 'Go!'?

Who'll give this country a hand?

Who wants a turn to himself in the show?

And who wants a seat in the stand?

Who knows it won't be a picnic - not much -

Yet eagerly shoulders a gun?"

"No!" (Excerpt)

"By bridge and battery, town and trench,

They're fighting with bull-dog pluck;

Not one, from Tommy to General French,

Is down upon his luck.

There are some who stand and some who fall,

But how does the chorus go

That echoing chant in the hearts of all?

'Are we down downhearted? NO!'

There's Jack, God bless him, upon the foam,

His isn't an easy task,

To strike for England, to strike right home,

So much, no more, does he ask.

On the dreadnought's deck where the big guns bark,

Or in quiet depths below

The salt wind wafts us a chantey. Hark!

'Are we downhearted? NO!'"

- Jessie Pope

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