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Patriotic poem from 1917 still rings true for today’s Memorial Day

3 min read
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Washington Reporter published Memorial Day content that included a patriotic poem that took almost half the front page. It was published the day before Memorial Day, since the Reporter did not publish on the holiday at that time.

The poem is by then nationally-recognized poet Berton Braley, whose works were published in newspapers and magazines across the country.

The bottom half of the front page that day was dedicated to a list of every serviceman that died from Washington County. The list took an entire second page as well.

Below are the words to the poem seen in the image attached to this article.

By Berton Braley

Time was they marched with a swing and lilt,

With their heads erect and their hate atilt,

In the strength and the glow of youth,

When each man shouldered his pack and gun,

And fought the fight that has made us one,

A nation in fact and truth.

Today their gait is a trifle slow,

And their ranks are thin, but their old eyes glow.

With a light that is clear and brave,

As they trudge along on their tired feet,

And lift their faces again to greet,

The flag that they helped to save.

And now the test of OUR souls has come,

As the soldiers march to the fife and drum,

To join in the thick of war,

And the young boys fight as the old boys fought,

Willing to hold their lives as naught,

In a cause worth dying for.

And we somehow know that in war’s red hell,

These lads will battle as nobly well,

As the Grand Old Boys we cheer,

Who falter by to a martial strain,

Or those who under the sod have lain,

For many a quiet year!

So we lift our eyes to the flag that flies,

With its red and its white and blue,

And we cheer again for the kid of men,

Who have always seen us through,

For the stalwart breed that meets our need,

For the Old Boys… and the New!

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