THE STAR OVER THE TRENCH
WAR and ruin and lust of blood,
And the world gone mad, gone mad;
And the cry of hate and the call to kill,
And only the death fiends glad!
And the world gone mad, gone mad;
And the cry of hate and the call to kill,
And only the death fiends glad!
Volley of shells and toss of flame
And a roar like snarl of hell,
And out of the pit of the sulphur fumes
The rasp of a dying yell.
And a roar like snarl of hell,
And out of the pit of the sulphur fumes
The rasp of a dying yell.
War and ruin and lust of blood
And heaven so far, so far.
Then—out of the ruck of the rolling-smoke
Rises the Christmas Star.
And heaven so far, so far.
Then—out of the ruck of the rolling-smoke
Rises the Christmas Star.
Over the trenches running red
Its tender radiance streams,
And the hearts of men are turned from strife
To the old familiar dreams.
Its tender radiance streams,
And the hearts of men are turned from strife
To the old familiar dreams.
And they know that out of this horror of hate
There must one day come release,
And a whisper of hope is on the wind
And the Star is the herald of Peace.
There must one day come release,
And a whisper of hope is on the wind
And the Star is the herald of Peace.
War and ruin and lust of blood
And heaven so far, so far—
But a steadfast faith that God is God
Shines in the risen Star!
And heaven so far, so far—
But a steadfast faith that God is God
Shines in the risen Star!
119
