English poem
Fight Or Pay
by Abner Cosens
October, 1915
The cause of Freedom needs our help, The Old Land's in the fray, It's up to every lion's whelp To either fight or pay. The bloody Turk and savage Hun Still ravish, burn and slay, Each loyal son must man a gun, Or stay at home and pay.
Our sisters, mothers, sweethearts, wives, They nurse, and knit, and pray, Let men forego their selfish lives, And either fight or pay. The call is clear to sacrifice Our life, our purse, our play; Ere Honor dies, let us arise And either fight or pay.
"England expects from every man His duty on this day." 'Twas thus Lord Nelson's message ran Ere he began the fray. Shall we our noble heritage, See crumbling down like clay, This goodly age, a blotted page, And neither fight nor pay?
Nay! While our British blood runs red, Let those refuse who may, We'll heed what mighty Nelson said On old Trafalgar day, From cottage, castle, palace, hall, We'll come without delay, At duty's call, and stake our all, To fight, or pay, or pray.
=Rhymes For Children=