The Soldier

If I should die,

• think only this of me:

• pray only for me:

• think only this of him:

• think mostly this of me:

That there’s some

• portion of a foreign land

• part of a foreign field

• corner of a unknown land

• corner of a foreign field

That is for ever England. 

• There will be

• There should be

• There shall be

• There would be

 In that rich earth

• a purer dust concealed;

• a richer dust concealed;

• a richer earth concealed;

• a richer dust hidden;

A dust whom England bore, 

• shaped, made to care,

• shaped, made to wear,

• shaped, made aware,

• shaped, made beware,

 Gave, once, her flowers to love,

• his ways to roam,

• our ways to roam,

• her ways to roam,

• their ways to roam,

A body of England’s, 

• breathing English air,

• breathing British air,

• breathing Wessex air,

• breathing French air,

 Washed by the rivers,

• kissed by suns of home.

• lost in the suns of home.

• warmed by suns of home.

• blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart,

• all ills shed away,

• all hurt shed away,

• all conflict shed away,

• all evil shed away,

 A pulse in the eternal mind, 

• no more

• no less

• no one

• no life