We Who Stay at Home

When you were just our little boy, on many a night we crept
Unto your cot and watched o’er you, and all the time you slept. 
We tucked the covers round your form and smoothed your pillow, too,
And sometimes stooped and kissed your cheeks, but that you never knew. 
Just as we came to you back then through many a night and day,
Our spirits now shall come to you—­to kiss and watch and pray.

Whenever you shall look away into God’s patch of sky
To think about the folks at home, we shall be standing by. 
And as we prayed and watched o’er you when you were wrapped in sleep,
So through your soldier danger now the old-time watch we’ll keep. 
You will not know that we are there, you will not see or hear,
But all the time in prayer and thought we shall be very near.

    The world has made of you a man; the work of man you do,
    But unto us you still remain the baby that we knew;
    And we shall come, as once we did, on wondrous wings of prayer,
    And you will never know how oft in spirit we are there. 
    We’ll stand beside your bed at night, in silence bending low,
    And all the love we gave you then shall follow where you go.

Oh, we were proud of you back then, but we are prouder now;
We see the stamp of splendor God has placed upon your brow,
And we who are the folks at home shall pray the old time prayer,
And ask the God of Mercy to protect you with His care. 
And as we came to you of old, although you never knew,
The hearts of us, each day and night, shall come with love to you.

         Do Your All

“Do your bit!” How cheap and trite
Seems that phrase in such a fight! 
“Do your bit!” That cry recall,
Change it now to “Do your all!”
Do your all, and then do more;
Do what you’re best fitted for;
Do your utmost, do and give,
You have but one life to live.

    Do your finest, do your best,
    Don’t let up and stop to rest,
    Don’t sit back and idly say: 
    “I did something yesterday.” 
    Come on!  Here’s another hour,
    Give it all you have of power. 
    Here’s another day that needs
    Everybody’s share of deeds.

    “Do your bit!” of course, but then
    Do it time and time again;
    Giving, doing, all should be
    Up to full capacity. 
    Now’s no time to pick and choose,
    We’ve a war we must not lose. 
    Be your duty great or small,
    Do it well and do it all.

    Do by careful, patient living,
    Do by cheerful, open giving;
    Do by serving day by day
    At whatever post you may;
    Do by sacrificing pleasure,
    Do by scorning hours of leisure. 
    Now to God and country give
    Every minute that you live.