Then Hayes and Jo, in Flanders met, and very
     proud was Hayes
To shake a townsman by the hand, and sing
     the hero’s praise,
“Oh, yes,” says Jo, “I’m doin’ well, ‘n’ yet
     I might do more. 
If I was in a hurry, mate, to finish up this war
I’d lay out every Fritz on earth, but, strike me,
     what a yob
A man would be to work himself out of a
     flamnin’ job!”

Now Jo’s a swell lieutenant, and he’s keepin’
     up the pace. 
Ha “Record” says Lieutenant Brown’s an
     honor to the place. 
The town gets special mention every time he
     scores.  We bet
If peace don’t mess his chances up, he’ll be
     Field-Marshal yet. 
Dad, mother and the uncles Brown and all our
     people know
That Providence began this war to find a grip
     for Jo!

THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME.

I said:  “I leave my bit of land-
   In khaki they’ve entwined me,
I go abroad to lend a hand.” 
Said she:  “My love, I understand. 
I will be true, and though we part
A thousand years you hold my heart"-
   The girl I left behind me.

I went away to fight the Huns-
   No coward thought could bind me,
I sizzled n the tropic suns,
I faced the bayonets and the guns. 
And when in daring deeds I shone
One little woman spurred me on-
   The girl I left behind me.

Out there, in grim Gallipoli. 
   Hard going they assigned me,
I pricked the Turk up from the sea;
I riddled him, he punctured me;
And, bleeding in my rags, I said: 
“She’ll meet me somewhere if I’m dead-
   The girl I left behind me.

In France we broke the German’s face-
   They tried with gas to blind me. 
In mud we bogged from front to base,
And dirt was ours, but not disgrace. 
They carved me till I couldn’t stand. 
Said I “Now for the Lodden, and
   The girl I left behind me.

I came ashore, and struck the track;
   For dust you scarce could find me. 
The dear girl gave no welcome back-
Shed changed her names and state, alack! 
“You’ve been a time, I must say, Ned,
In finishing your old war.”  Said
   The girl I left behind me.

I flung a song up to the skies. 
   For battles gods designed me. 
I think of Fifi’s laughing eyes,
And Nami, dusk, but sweet and wise,
And chortle in my heart to find
How very far I’ve left behind-
   The girl I left behind me

HOW HERMAN WON THE CROSS

Once in a blue eternity they gave us
     dabs of rum
To close the seams ‘n’ keep the flume in
     liquor-tight condition;
But, soft ‘n’ sentimental, when the long, cold
     evenin’s come,
I’d dream me nibs was dronking’ to the height
     of his ambition,
With rights of suction over all the breweries
     there are,
Where barrels squat, like Brahma gods, in
     Mother Hardy’s bar.