A treasury of war poetry, British and American poems of the world war, 1914-1919/On the Italian Front, MCMXVI

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A treasury of war poetry, British and American poems of the world war, 1914-1919
edited by George Herbert Clarke
On the Italian Front, MCMXVI by George Edward Woodberry
Autumn Evening in Serbia
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4549735A treasury of war poetry, British and American poems of the world war, 1914-1919 — On the Italian Front, MCMXVIGeorge Edward Woodberry
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ON THE ITALIAN FRONT, MCMXVI

"I WILL die cheering, if I needs must die;
So shall my last breath write upon my lips
Viva Italia! when my spirit slips
Down the great darkness from the mountain sky;
And those who shall behold me where I lie
Shall murmur: 'Look, you! how his spirit dips
From glory into glory! the eclipse
Of death is vanquished! Lo, his victor-cry!'


"Live, thou, upon my lips, Italia mine,
The sacred death-cry of my frozen clay!
Let thy dear light from my dead body shine
And to the passer-by thy message say:
'Ecco! though heaven has made my skies divine,
My sons' love sanctifies my soil for aye!'"

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