All is Quiet on the Western Front

All is Quiet on the Western Front

They're all gone now, those young American doughboys who sailed off to far away France to fight the mighty Hun. The strains of "Over There" and "Lily Marlene" are distant memories. These young soldiers, sailors and Marines put down their plows and pencils and went off to face murderous machinegun fire, choking, blinding mustard gas and the cold, killing reality of trench warfare. Then on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1918, the victors and the vanquished gathered in a small railroad car in Compiègne, France to bring to a close the "war to end all wars." All was quiet on the Western Front.

Day is done ...
Gone the sun ...
From the lakes ...
From the hills ...
From the sky ...
All is well ...
Safely rest ...
God is nigh...

Fading light ...
Dims the sight ...
And a star ...
Gems the sky...
Gleaming bright ...
From afar...
Drawing nigh ...
Falls the night ..

Thanks and praise ...
For our days ...
Neath the sun ...
Neath the stars ...
Neath the sky ...
As we go ...
This we know ...
God is nigh ...

Sleep well you warriors of so long ago, the new breed has assumed the watch.

Very respectfully,

George S. Harris
Captain, U. S. Navy (Retired)