Page:Canadian poems of the great war.djvu/108

Crusaders of the Grail. Rude knights were some
But knightly all: God loves all faithful men.

Their deeds are written on the sun. What need
To. tell again how,—equals with the best
Of Britain s and of France s chivalry—
(Equals of those at Mons who taught the hordes
Trusting in guns and numbers, what soldiers were;
Equals of those who at Verdun stood firm
In the long storms of fire) ; what need to tell
How ours broke Prussia s heart of cruel pride
At Ypres, Festubert and Courcellette!

Galahads of the camps ! For this you learnt
The fearless life and strenuous company
Of the wild North, contempt of hurt and cold,
Joy of unmeasured contest, wit to meet
Emergency, deft skill and steady nerve.
What seemed but sport was training, and the best
Was inner, loyal will and heart humane.
And in your battles you remembered oft
The mountains of the Land of Manitou.

Some shall return with honour, henceforth called
The heroes of the world. But where are those
Who never shall return ?

And were caught up to heaven. Where is Lysle,
With eyes of sunlight ever brimming mirth,
Magnet of every heart ? Where Edward kind
Who knew no bounds to faithfulness, and bore,
Three times shell-buried, that message to his chief?
Alas! to earthly eyes they sleep afar
In fields of glory famed to end of time.
Yet ever shall they clothe these leafy hills
With visions of the noblest deeds of men
And hold before Canadian youths to come
The quest eternal of the Holy Grail.