| Show What Did You Do Today My Friend CA PAN CAN you imagine yourself a soldier lying badly wounded o on the field of battle You Yo feel your life ebbing away away youve youve you've seen your c comrades rades killed horribly in a bitter struggle which has just ended with capture of of the enemy position arid and nd you Y wonder if the folks back home realize the sacrifices these boys are making the the sacrifice you are making Lying in a muddy ditch you dig out of your pocket a piece of paper and a stub of a pencil and laboriously w write ite these thes l lines nes What did you do today my My ly gunner died in my arms too to- to o friend from morning until day I feel his warm blood night yet et How many times did you com com- como Your neighbors neighbor's dying boy gave plain the rationing is too out a scream I cant can't forget tight On my right a tank t was hit hit-a t-a t tat tar When Whence are you going to sta start r t flash and then hTa a lr fire I t to 0 do o all of the things you The stench tench of burning flesh still stillA say rises f from rom th the e pyre A soldier would like to know m my do friend What did you Wh at did dd you do tod today my do today friend to help hep us with the We met the enemy today and task r f took the town by storm Did you work harder and long- long Happy reading it will ill make for er for less Or is that too you tomorrow morn Snuck much to ask You'll read with satisfaction the brief W What f r right have e I J to a ask k y you u. u this Yo You will probably w say but fight- fight We fought fought but are you rou frig ing What did you do to- to Maybe labe now now you'll understand understand- day you see I died today Well there it is And pretty straight from the shoulder too What did you do today my friend to b be worthy of the sacrifices of these men who are fighting suffering and dying that your liberties your comforts your home and your life I may be secure What did you do to he help p them with the task r f How about it my friend friend can can you answer that query with head up and a clear conscience i i The verse was read the other day in the house of representatives representatives ves by Congressman James Wadsworth of New York He had received it from an American genera in Italy L It so happens that the author of this battlefield poem didn't didn't t die The author an officer actually wrote those lines as as' as he was lying on a battlefield in Italy badly wounded His Hi foot had been shattered by the blast of a German 88 gun and anda a fellow officer had amputated ed it Lying there in a a ditch he l could feel his lifes life's blood draining away and death approaching Fortunately he was removed to a field hospital in time He didn't 1 die but other men did did and and he expressed the thoughts that they did not have the opportunity or the inspiration to express G |
