By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin' eastward to the sea,
There's a Burma girl a-settin', and I know she thinks o' me;
For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the temple-bells they say:
"Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!"
Come you back to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay:
Can't you 'ear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay?
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!
......
It's easy to fight when everything's right,
And you're mad with the thrill and the glory;
It's easy to cheer when victory's near,
And wallow in fields that are gory.
It's a different song when everything's wrong,
When you're feeling infernally mortal;
When it's ten against one, and hope there is none,
Buck up, little soldier, and chortle:
Carry on! Carry on!
......
Either peace or happiness,
let it enfold you
when I was a young man
I felt these things were
dumb, unsophisticated.
I had bad blood, a twisted
mind, a precarious
upbringing.
......
A Life Tragedy
A pistol shot rings round and round the world;
In pitiful defeat a warrior lies.
A last defiance to dark Death is hurled,
A last wild challenge shocks the sunlit skies.
Alone he falls, with wide, wan, woeful eyes:
Eyes that could smile at death -- could not face shame.
Alone, alone he paced his narrow room,
......
Two piglets out together, walking side by side,
Pressing snuggly wuggly, in wonder big eyed,
On the first stroll, brother and sister sunshine,
As blue birds prance and sing, in green pines.
Senses soon ravished, by the tales of the new,
Like a thrill of thick grass, under skies so blue,
Wandering in wonder, a time made for playing,
When orange sun's vivid, and is always staying.
Little Susie was everyone's favorite. She usually caused people to smile;
Like bouquets received from yesterday, traveling on mauve, Memory Aisle.
Susie Partridge was loved by all, since she was indeed sugar and spice;
Like honeycomb riches of sweet summer, which all bees deem very nice.
Susie played with fun dolls, pretending they were actual, factual people;
As dusk fools the eye with fun colors, when saffron light has grown feeble.
Frances and Fanny were favorite friends, like favored, shadowless noon;
......
powder puff clouds laze
o'er fields of hued floral flame
mellow sun glimpses
cascades of color
creates fragrance enigma
bougainvillea
purple sun pastime
and lushness now has a name
sangria dawn fame
peach noon honey glazed
lends sparkle to cherry blooms
......
peach sun has come back
long hours of rain and thunder
hummingbird plunder
hued blooms gather with
the stunning jeweled wonder
stained rite of summer
noon pause for orange
and backwards flight aflutter
......
lost in gold glamour
hammock trees whisper green breeze
lotus color sprees
a warm noon warning
of soon tangerine caress
dragonfly's address
swinging sage summer
June beauties in lemon squeeze
......