A grey gull hovered overhead, <br /> Then wisely flew away. <br />'In half a jiffy you'll be dead,' <br /> I thought I heard it say; <br />As there upon the railway line, <br /> Checking an urge to cough, <br />I laboured to de-fuse the mine <br /> That had not yet gone off. <br /> <br />I tapped around the time-clock rim, <br /> Then something worried me. <br />I heard the singing of a hymn: <br /> Nearer my God to Thee. <br />That damned Salvation Army band! <br /> I phoned back to the boys: <br />'Please tell them,--they will understand,-- <br /> Cut out the bloody noise!' <br /> <br />Silence . . . I went to work anew, <br /> And then I heard a tick <br />That told me the blast was due,-- <br /> I never ran so quick. <br />I heard the fury-roar behind; <br /> The earth erupted hell, <br />As hoisted high and stunned and blind <br /> Into a ditch I fell. <br /> <br />Then when at last I crawled from cover, <br /> My hands were bloody raw; <br />And I was blue and bruised all over, <br /> And this is what I saw: <br />All pale, but panting with elation, <br /> And very much unstuck, <br />There was the Army of Salvation <br /> Emerging from the muck. <br /> <br />And then I heard the Captain saying: <br /> ''Twas Heaven heard our pleas; <br />For there anight we all were praying <br /> Down on our bended knees. <br />'Twas little hope your comrades gave you, <br /> Though we had faith divine . . . <br />The blessed Lord stooped down to save you, <br /> But Gosh! He cut it fine.'<br /><br />Robert William Service<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/land-mine/
