And all the prizes we have won Are buried in a deadly dust; The things we set our hearts upon Beneath the stricken earth are thrust; Again the Savage greets the sun, Again his feet, with fury shod, Across a world in anguish run; But--after all the anguish--God. The grim campaign, the gun, the sword, The quick volcano from the sea, The honour that reveres the word, The sacrifice, the agony-- These be our heritage and pride, Till the last despot kiss the rod, And, with man's freedom purified, We mark--behind our triumph--God. ALAN SULLIVAN _By permission of the Author_ THE OUTER GUARD Bold Watchers of the deeps, Guards of the Greater Ways, How shall our swelling hearts express Our heights and depths of thankfulness For these safe-guarded days! Grim is your vigil there, Black day and blacker night,-- Watching for life, while knavish death Lurks all around, above, beneath, Waiting his chance to smite. Your hearts are stouter than The worst that Death can do. Our thoughts for you!--our prayers for you! There's One aloft that cares for you, And He will see you through. Don't think we e'er forget The debt we owe to you! Never a night but we pray for you! Never a day but we say for you,-- "God bless the gallant lads in blue! With mighty strength their hearts renew! Bless every ship and every crew! Give every man his rightful due! And bring them all safe through!" JOHN OXENHAM _By permission of the Author_ SMALL CRAFT When Drake sailed out from Devon to break King Philip's pride, He had great ships at his bidding and little ones beside; _Revenge_ was there, and _Lion_, and others known to fame, And likewise he had small craft, which hadn't any name. Small craft--small craft, to harry and to flout 'em! Small craft--small craft, you cannot do without 'em! Their deeds are unrecorded, their names are never seen, But we know that there were small craft, because there must have been. When Nelson was blockading for three long years and more, With many a bluff first-rater and oaken seventy-four To share the fun and fighting, the good chance and the bad, Oh, he had also small craft, because he must have had. Upon the skirts of battle, from Sluys to Trafalgar, We know that there were small craft, because there always are; Yacht, sweeper, sloop, and drifter, to-day as yesterday, The big ships fight the battles, but the small craft clear the way. They scout before the squadrons when mighty fleets engage; They glean War's dreadful harvest when the fight has ceased to rage; Too great they count no hazard, no task beyond their power, And merchantmen bless small craft a hundred times an hour.