And below, Ink'angatawng-
The Marauder roll of victories
is both barbarous and long.
From Nhp'um Ga on to Ritpong
(Add a cross at each of these)
Red lines lead to Myitkyina:
Just you ask the Japanese.
Ghostly files that strike and vanish,
You'll not know where they may be,
Till the Browning automatics
Leave dead Japs for Japs to see.
If you really want to see us,
There's a way you can't go wrong:
Pick a trail that goes behind them
Where our enemies are strong.
Where the trail goes through a rice field,
You may see the column clear,
But-we're not so much to look at,
And worse than that to hear.
Comes a line of weary scarecrows,
Bearded, pale, unclean, and hot;
Never would you think of soldiers
(Which we wish that we were not.)
Belly-aching, griping, grumbling,
Mounting curses to the sky.
"Damn those lousy bastards," say we.
"They will arch us till we die."
"Regiment of volunteers-"
Well, it's true, and it's because
Everyone had reasons why he
Did not like it where he was.
|
|