Richard Le Gallienne: Is this to be strong, ye nations, your vulgar battles to fight?

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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
British writers on peace and war
American writers on peace and against war
Richard Le Gallienne: The Illusion of War
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Richard Le Gallienne
From The Cry of the Little Peoples
But now are we glad to rest, our battles and boasting done,
Glad just to sow and sing and reap in our share of the sun.
Of this O will ye rob us, – with a foolish mighty hand,
Add, with such cruel sorrow, so small a land to your land?
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Is this to be strong, ye nations, is this to be strong?
Your vulgar battles to fight, and your grocery conquests to keep,
For this shall we break our hearts, for this shall our old men weep?
What gain in the day of battle…?

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