THE MAN HE KILLED

“Had he and I but met

  By some old ancient inn,

We should have sat us down to wet

  Right many a nipperkin!

  “But ranged as infantry,

  And staring face to face,

I shot at him as he at me,

  And killed him in his place.

  “I shot him dead because -

  Because he was my foe,

Just so: my foe of course he was;

    That’s clear enough; although

    “He thought he’d ’list, perhaps,

    Off-hand like - just as I -

Was out of work - had sold his traps -

    No other reason why.

    “Yes; quaint and curious war is!

    You shoot a fellow down

You’d treat if met where any bar is.

    Or help to half-a-crown.”

103

-o0o-