Mothers and wives, 'tis the call to arms <br />That the bugler yonder prepares to sound; <br />We stand on the brink of war's alarms <br />And your men may lie on a blood-stained <br />ground. <br />The drums may play and the flags may fly, <br />And our boys may don the brown and blue, <br />And the call that summons brave men to die <br />Is the call for glorious women, too. <br /> <br />Mothers and wives, if the summons comes, <br />You, as ever since war has been, <br />Must hear with courage the rolling drums <br />And dry your tears when the flags are seen. <br />For never has hero fought and died <br />Who has braver been than the mother, who <br />Buckled his sabre at his side, <br />And sent him forward to dare and do. <br /> <br />Mothers and wives, should the call ring out, <br />It is you must answer your country's cry; <br />You must furnish brave hearts and stout <br />For the firing line where the heroes die. <br />And never a corpse on the field of strife <br />Should be honoured more in his country's sight <br />Than the noble mother or noble wife <br />Who sent him forth in the cause of right. <br /> <br />Mothers and wives, 'tis the call for men <br />To give their strength and to give their lives; <br />But well we know, such a summons then <br />Is the call for mothers and loyal wives, <br />For you must give us the strength we need, <br />You must give us the boys in blue, <br />For never a boy or a man shall bleed <br />But a mother or wife shall suffer, too.<br /><br />Edgar Albert Guest<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/mothers-and-wives/
