<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 32); font-family: Times; "><table align="CENTER" width="601" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><td align="CENTER"><font color="#9C9C63" size="+1"><b>Rouge Bouquet</b></font></td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="CENTER"><font color="#9C9C63">Joyce Kilmer <font size="+0">(1886–1918)</font></font></td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="CENTER" border="0" width="601" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><td><table align="CENTER" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="position: static; z-index: auto; "><tbody><tr><td> </td></tr><tr><td>I<font size="-1">N</font> a wood they call the Rouge Bouquet</td><td><a name="1"></a></td></tr><tr><td>There is a new-made grave to-day,</td><td><a name="2"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Built by never a spade nor pick</td><td><a name="3"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Yet covered with earth ten metres thick.</td><td><a name="4"></a></td></tr><tr><td>There lie many fighting men,</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="5"><i> 5</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td> Dead in their youthful prime,</td><td><a name="6"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Never to laugh nor love again</td><td><a name="7"></a></td></tr><tr><td> Nor taste the Summertime.</td><td><a name="8"></a></td></tr><tr><td>For Death came flying through the air</td><td><a name="9"></a></td></tr><tr><td>And stopped his flight at the dugout stair,</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="10"><i> 10</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td>Touched his prey and left them there,</td><td><a name="11"></a></td></tr><tr><td> Clay to clay.</td><td><a name="12"></a></td></tr><tr><td>He hid their bodies stealthily</td><td><a name="13"></a></td></tr><tr><td>In the soil of the land they fought to free</td><td><a name="14"></a></td></tr><tr><td> And fled away.</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="15"><i> 15</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td>Now over the grave abrupt and clear</td><td><a name="16"></a></td></tr><tr><td> Three volleys ring;</td><td><a name="17"></a></td></tr><tr><td>And perhaps their brave young spirits hear</td><td><a name="18"></a></td></tr><tr><td> The bugle sing:</td><td><a name="19"></a></td></tr><tr><td>“Go to sleep!</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="20"><i> 20</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td>Go to sleep!</td><td><a name="21"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Slumber well where the shell screamed and fell.</td><td><a name="22"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Let your rifles rest on the muddy floor,</td><td><a name="23"></a></td></tr><tr><td>You will not need them any more.</td><td><a name="24"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Danger’s past;</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="25"><i> 25</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td>Now at last,</td><td><a name="26"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Go to sleep!”</td><td><a name="27"></a></td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr><tr><td>There is on earth no worthier grave</td><td><a name="28"></a></td></tr><tr><td>To hold the bodies of the brave</td><td><a name="29"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Than this place of pain and pride</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="30"><i> 30</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td>Where they nobly fought and nobly died.</td><td><a name="31"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Never fear but in the skies</td><td><a name="32"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Saints and angels stand</td><td><a name="33"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Smiling with their holy eyes</td><td><a name="34"></a></td></tr><tr><td>On this new-come band.</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="35"><i> 35</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td>St. Michael’s sword darts through the air</td><td><a name="36"></a></td></tr><tr><td>And touches the aureole on his hair</td><td><a name="37"></a></td></tr><tr><td>As he sees them stand saluting there,</td><td><a name="38"></a></td></tr><tr><td> His stalwart sons;</td><td><a name="39"></a></td></tr><tr><td>And Patrick, Brigid, Columkill</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="40"><i> 40</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td>Rejoice that in veins of warriors still</td><td><a name="41"></a></td></tr><tr><td> The Gael’s blood runs.</td><td><a name="42"></a></td></tr><tr><td>And up to Heaven’s doorway floats,</td><td><a name="43"></a></td></tr><tr><td> From the wood called Rouge Bouquet,</td><td><a name="44"></a></td></tr><tr><td>A delicate cloud of buglenotes</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="45"><i> 45</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td> That softly say:</td><td><a name="46"></a></td></tr><tr><td>“Farewell!</td><td><a name="47"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Farewell!</td><td><a name="48"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Comrades true, born anew, peace to you!</td><td><a name="49"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Your souls shall be where the heroes are</td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font size="-2"><a name="50"><i> 50</i></a></font></td></tr><tr><td>And your memory shine like the morning-star.</td><td><a name="51"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Brave and dear,</td><td><a name="52"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Shield us here.</td><td><a name="53"></a></td></tr><tr><td>Farewell!”</td><td><a name="54"></a></td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><br><div><div>On Jan 21, 2012, at 10:58 AM, lfalen wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div>Trees by Joyce Kilmer is one of my favorite poems. He wrote "Rouge bouquet" three days before he was killed during the World War I (1918). It waw written as a tribute to a group of his fellow soldiers who were killed. He read it over there graves. <br>After he was killed, it was read over his grave. I wanted to post it here but do not have the skills to do so. Perhaps someone with the request skills can do so. <br>Roger<br><br>=======================================================<br> List services made available by First Step Internet,<br> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<br> <a href="http://www.fsr.net">http://www.fsr.net</a><br> <a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</a><br>=======================================================<br></div></blockquote></div><br></body></html>