The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-25
The Wars Nob1est"

| ~ ~ - ~~s~O~
| tCharlcs Scrbncr's Sons have recently published
| a little volume of the poems Of Alan Seeger, the
| young American who died fighting with the For
eign Legion OF France at Belloyen- Santerre. In
cluded in the volume is the lode in Memory of the
American Volunteers Fallen for France" which fol-
| lows. Seegcr to have read it in Paris on
Decoration day. 1916 before the statue Of Lafayette
| and Washington. but his permission" did not arrive
| in time. OF this ode William Archer, who writes
| an introduction to the volume Of poems says: IF
the has produced nobler utterance it has not
come my way.')
| Ay, it is fitting this holiday,
Commemorative of soldier dead,
Whcn-wth sweet flowers of our New England May
Hiding the lichened stones by fifty years made
| Their graves in every town are garlanded,
That pious tribute should be given too
To intrepid few
Obscurely fallen here beyond the seas.
Those 10 preserve their country's greatness died.
| But by the death of these
Something that We can look upon with pride
Has been achieved wholly unreplied
Can sneefcrs triumph in the charge they make
That from war where Freedom at stake
America withheld and, daunted. stood aside.
| Re they remembered here with each rcviving spring
Not only that in May, when life is loveliest,
Around Neuvc- Saint Vast and the disputed crest
OF Vmy. they superb unfaltering,
In that fine onslaught that fire could halt.
Parted impetuous to their first assault:
But that they brought fresh hearts and sprin gke
too,
TO that high mission, and It's meet to strcw
With twiss of lilac and Springs earliest rose
The cenotaph of those
Who in the cause that history most endcars
Fell in the sunny morn and flower of their young
Yet sought they neither recomrcnse nor praise
Nor to be mentioned in another breath
Than their blue coated comradc whose great DAYS
1t was their pride to share-ay, share to the
death,
Nay, rather, France, to you they rendered thanks
(Seeing they came for honor, not for gainA
Who opening to them your glorious ranks.
Gave them that grand occasion to excel
That chance to live the life free from stain
And that rare privilege of dying we'll
. friends! know not since that began
From which no people nohly stands aloof
II in all moments have given proof
or virtues that were thought American
| know not if in all things done and said
All has been well and good
Or II each of can hold his head
AS proudly he should
or, from the pattern of those mighty dead
Whose shades our country vcneratcs today
II we've not somewhat fallen somewhat gone
| But you to whom lands good name is dear
II there be any here
Who wonder if her manhood be decreased
Relaxed its sinews and its blood less red
Than that at Shiloh and Antictam she'd
he proud OF these have JOY in this at least,
And cry: Nov heaven be praised
mat in that hour that most Imperfect her.
Mcnaced her liberty, who foremost raised
turores bright flag of freedom. there were
Who. not unmindful OF the antique debt
came back the generous path of Lafayette:
| And when OF a most formidable foe
| She checked each onset arduous to sten--
| Fooled and frustrated them
| On those red fields where blow with f,rous blow
was corntered. whether the gigantic fray
| Rolled by the Meuse at the Bois Sabot
Accents of ours were in the fierce melee.
| And on those firtherest rims of haIouoa cr,,ra
Where the forlorn. the gallant charge cxpires
| When the slain bugler has long ceased to sound
And on the tangled wires
| me last wild rally, staggcrs, crumbles stops
Wthered beneath the shrapncrs iron showers.
| NJ" heaven De thanked, we gave few brave drops
Now heaven be thanked, few brave drops are ours
| There. holding still, in frozen stcdfastncss
Iheir bayonets toward the reckoning frontiers
Ihey he--our comrades-he among their peers
Clad in the glory of fallen warriors
Trim clusters under thorny trelltses
| Dry furtnest foam upon dsa strous shores
| la bo,,, An