Since it's Memorial Day, I thought I'd post this here for others to enjoy besides my friends on Facebook.
About a month ago, I received a book of poetry written by some distant relative of mine serving as Private in the Army at a base in the Philippines in the 1920s. I've been reading some of it at open mics and showing the book around to anyone who's interested. I don't know if this guy ever shared any of this stuff while he was serving or after but it's truly a gift for the world (the penmanship alone is amazing, nevermind the stellar quality of the actual writing).
There's almost 200 pages of this stuff, so I'll be scanning and transcribing it whenever I have some freetime over the course of the next couple months.
Inside Cover
Chas. McElroy
2nd Mine Company
Corregidor Island
Fort Mills
Philippine Islands.
February 1, 1920-Oct. 25, 1920
This Book Belongs to
Charles D. McElroy
If thou art borrowed by a friend
Right welcome shall he be
To read to copy not to lend
But to return to me
Not that imparted knowledge doth
Diminish learnings' store
But books I find if often lent
Return to me no more
Read slowly pause frequently
Think seriously keep cleanly
Return only with the corners of the leaves
Not turned down
Passing the Buck
The Colonel calls the Major
For he wants something done
The Major tells the Captain
And gets him on the run
The Captain thinks it over
And tries to make it suit
Passes the buck and baggage
To some shave-tail second Lieut
The said Lieutennent ponders
And strokes his downy jaw
Then calls his trusty sergeant
and to him lays down the law
The sergeant calls the corporal
To see what he can see
So the corporal calls a private
And the poor damn Private's me.
On Corregidor I am stationed
In the fort that guards the bay
cutting grass and building sidewalks
for a soldiers humble pay
when i'm not at work i'm drilling
have no time to call my own
working hard for uncle samuel
far away from friends and home
but i'm coming dear i'm coming
from the far off philippines
with my pocets full of pesos
and my system full of beans
when I left old frisco harbor
left you standing at the dock
i was going to be a hero
on this god forsaken rock
i was going after glory
Sink the Spaniards in the bay
With my trusty springfield rifle
I am busy every day
Yes I'm coming Bessy coming
From the far off Philippines
With my pockets full of clackers
and my system full of beans
yes i'm busy very busy
now i put away my gun
with my trusty pick and shovel
i am working in the sun
digging ditches building sidewalks
cutting grass and mounting guns
lots of time for good hard labor
not a bit of time for fun (continued...)
but i'm coming darling coming
from the far off philippines
with my pockets full of pesos
and my system full of beans
A Case like Mine
Captain I hear you've gone and done it
yes I know most followers will
went and tried it once myself sir
though you see i'm single still
and you met her did you tell me
out at caloocan last july
and resolved to ask the question
at the hop; so did I
I suppose you left the ballroom
with its music and its light
for they say loves flame is sweeteest
in the darkness of the night
Well you walked along the terrace
overhead the moonlit sky
and i'll bet captain confess it
you were frightened-so was I
So you strolled along the terrace
Saw the summer moonlight pour
All its radiance on the waters
As they rippled on the shore
Till at length you gathered courage
when you saw that none was nigh
did you draw her close and tell her
that you loved her-so did I
Well I needn't ask you further
And I'm sure I wish you joy
Think I'll wander down and see you
When you're married, eh, my boy
When your honeymoon is over
and your settled down we'll try
What? The deuce you say rejected
you respected-so did I
A soldier is a nobody
We hear the people say
They are the outcasts of the country
And always in the way
We admit there are a lot of bad ones
From the Army to Marines
But you will find that the majority
Are the most worthy ever seen
Most people condemn a soldier
When he takes a drink or two
but does a soldier condemn you
when you stop to take a few
now don't codemn a soldier
but grasp him by the hand
for the uniform he proudly wears
means protection to the land
The government picks its soldiers
from millions far and wide
so place a soldier as your equal
and drop your haughty pride
When a soldier goes to battle
you cheer him on his way
and say he is a hero
when in his grave he lay
the hardest battle of a soldier
Is in the time of peace
When you laugh and scorn him
and beat him like a beast
i will now close this
and hope I don't offend
so when you meet a soldier
treat him like you would a friend
Sweet-heart take this a Soldier said
and bid me a brave goodbye
It may befall we neer shall wed
but love can never die
be steadfast in thy troth to me
and then what'er is my lot
my soul to God, my heart to thee
sweetheart Forget-Me-Not
The maiden took the tiny flower
and nursed it with her tears
Lo! he who left her in that hour
Came not in the after-years
Unto an heroes death he rode
mid shower of fire and shots
But in the maidens heart abode
the flower Forget-me-not
And when he came not with the rest
from out the years of blood
closely unto her widowed breast
she pressed a faded bud
oh there is love and there is pain
and there is peace God wot
And these dear three do live again
in sweet forget-me-not
Tis to an unmarked grave today
that I would like to go
Whether he wore the blue or gray
what need that we should know
he loved a woman let us say
and on that sacred spot
To womans love that lives for aye
well stow Forget-me not.
They went there some to live and some to die
Of fear they had no thought they had been sent
The good "Tuscania" bore them on their way
To do their duty was why they went
The night was calm and overhead the sky
Was casting shadows o'er the waters cold
A submarine! A submarine! the cry
Was echoed fore and aft in the hold
She reeled and staggered from the blow
A mortal wound below the waterline
The water then commenced to rise below
The submarine had sunk beneath the brim
The ship is sinking! Then from above the din
A chorus swelled; My Country Tis of thee
For they left their home the war to win
Had left the "Sweet Land of Liberty"
They rowed or swam or floated to the shore
Not all for some had sunk beneath the sea
The Irish people folk from fen and moor
Came down to offer hospitality
Along the shores the next day there were found
The bodies washed up on rocky bed
The farms and fisher folk from miles around
Attended at the burial of the dead
The unidentified by tender hands
In nameless graves on Irelands shore were laid
Our boys who gave their lives in foreign lands
Old Glory that was carried there was made
In honor of our dead the flag we love
By Irish mothers sewed in with their sighs
Werenames that now are registered above
That never may be seen by mortal eyes
Yet will be forgotten but will merge
With those of "Bunker Hill!" and "Lindy Lane"
Chants like "New Orleans", "Valley Forge"
"Manila", "Santiago" and the main