A Carol from Flanders
2,647A CAROL FROM FLANDERS
In Flanders on the Christmas morn
The trenchèd foemen lay,
The German and the Briton born—
And it was Christmas day.
The red sun rose on fields accurst,
The gray fog fled away;
But neither cared to fire the first,
For it was Christmas day.
They called from each to each across
The hideous disarray
(For terrible had been their loss):
"Oh, this is Christmas day!"
Their rifles all they set aside,
One impulse to obey;
'Twas just the men on either side,
Just men—and Christmas day.
They dug the graves for all their dead
And over them did pray;
And Englishman and German said:
"How strange a Christmas day!"
Between the trenches they did meet
Shook hands, and e'en did play
At games on which their hearts are set
On happy Christmas day.
Not all the Emperors and Kings,
Financiers, and they
Who rule us could prevent these things—
For it was Christmas day.
O ye who read this truthful rime
From Flanders, kneel and say:
God speed the time when every day
Shall be as Christmas day.
—Frederick Niven