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PATRIOTIC PIECES
A CAROL FROM FLANDERS
In Flanders on the Christmas morn
The trenchèd foemen lay,
The German and the Briton born—
And it was Christmas day.
The red sun rose on fields accurst,
The gray fog fled away;
But neither cared to fire the first,
For it was Christmas day.
They called from each to each across
The hideous disarray
(For terrible had been their loss):
"Oh, this is Christmas day!"
Their rifles all they set aside,
One impulse to obey;
'Twas just the men on either side,
Just men—and Christmas day.
They dug the graves for all their dead
And over them did pray;
And Englishman and German said:
"How strange a Christmas day!"
Between the trenches they did meet
Shook hands, and e'en did play
