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Show ON GUARD The following poem was written writ-ten by a soldier following duty performed one night in Africa, and sent to a girl friend here. It gives one soldier's reaction to a night on guard duty and will probably bring back memories memo-ries of similar nights spent by some of our boys in foreign service: ser-vice: I walk my lonely post I hear only the sounds of the night! The stars shine out like diamonds dia-monds The river gleams silvery white. I look into the darkened night For mine must be the eyes That guard the lonesome resting place Where a sleeping soldier lies. All day long the guns have sounded And the planes have filled the sky, The tanks and jeeps and armored arm-ored ' cars Have watched the soldiers die! But the eventide has brought a lull And fighting men have stopped To rest their aching, tired limbs Where bullets and bombs have dropped. There are other men besides myself my-self Who are sentinels tonight As a thousand tired soldiers rest While the moon shines out so bright. I walk my lonely post And the darkness I peer into Is a cloak that is helping me to guard The flag that is red, white and blue. So with every step I take tonight While the stars shine out on high, There's a trust that I am pledged to keep Guarding sleeping soldiers' lives! My eyes are glancing here and there And in every nook I pry Proud that I'm the one to watch Where sleeping soldiers lie. SSgt. Russell N. Stansfield, Italy, November 18, 1943. |