The Air Raid

I

Come into the cellar, Maud.
Get a move on! Goodness gracious,
There is nothing to applaud
In bravado ostentatious!
Still Maud lingered, all unheeding,
As the Siren sounded twice;
Above the din her voice came pleading,
“Are you sure there’s no mice?”

II

Above the pandemonium
Of Siren shrill and warning Drum
And Aircraft Gun is heard the roar
Of little Freddy, ætat four;
The cellar dark and dank and dim
No fascination has for him,
The little darling wants to be
Upstairs upon the roof and see
The “fireworks!” “If you ask me—”
Aunt Kate was overheard to say,
“I’d let the dear child have his way!”

III

A hidden Crime, however slight,
Is sure some day to see the light;
Oh, why did Auntie come to stay
With us upon an Air-raid day!
Why did we never think to tell her
That there were Lizards in the cellar
Or Spiders or an Open Drain!
How shall we ever now explain
That “Antique Vase” we said was lost,
That Nile green horror, gold embossed,
Her Wedding Present—there it lay
Before her eyes, as plain as day!
We almost wished a bomb would fall
Upon the house and end it all!

IV

Who is that cowardly Jack Horner
Crouching there in the darkest corner,
Behind the furnace? Look again,
That is no cringing coward, when
Your eyes become accustomed to
The darkness of the cellar, you
Will see it is no other than
Philander Jones and Marian;
Make no mistake, Philander’s dread
Is not a Zeppelin overhead,
But that rude moment when he’ll hear
The beastly Siren sound “All’s clear!”

V

“Where is Molly?” Like a Shell,
Short and sharp, the question fell,
Scattering every one pell mell
From the cellar’s safe retreat
Through the house on panic feet,
Basement, Attic—everywhere
They sought, one hope remained and there
On the Drying-roof they found her,
Shrapnel flashing all around her,
Calm and cool ’mid war’s alarms,
Hugging something in her arms.
“I’s all right—don’t cwy!” said Molly,
“I tame back to det my dolly!”