History & Politics

Mobilisation

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1850–1919

From Poems of Optimism (1913)

History & Politics

Oh the Kings of earth have mobilised their men.
See them moving, valour proving,
To the fields of glory going,
Banners flowing, bugles blowing,
Every one a mother's son,
Brave with uniform and gun,
Keeping step with easy swing,
Yes, with easy step and light marching onward to the fight,
Just to please the warlike fancy of a King;
Who has mobilised his army for the strife.

Oh the King of Death has mobilised his men.
See the hearses huge and black
How they rumble down the track;
With their coffins filled with dead,
Filled with men who fought and bled;
Now from fields of glory coming
To the sound of muffled drumming
They are lying still and white,
But the Kings have had their fight;
Death has mobilised his army for the grave.

MLA

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler. “Mobilisation.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wilcox/568/.

Chicago

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler. “Mobilisation.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wilcox/568/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Ella Wheeler Wilcox