Poetry

[Audax]

Has anyone come across this poem before or have any knoweldge were it comes from?

I don't think it has a title

A soldier stood at the pearly gates

His face all scarred and old

He stood before the man of fate

For admission to the fold

"What have you done", St Peter asked

"To gain admission here?"

"I've been a soldier Sir/' he said,

"For many and many a year".

The pearly gates swung open wide

As St Peter touched the bell.

'Inside", he said, "And choose your harp,

You've had your share of hell"

He met old comrades gone before

And shook them by the hand

There was no more talk of war,

He had found the promised land.

Anon

[HERITAGE PLUS]

I believe that slightly altered version is used in the USA as the Guadacanal Epitaph with the word Soldier replaced by Marine.

Dave

[Audax]

Thanks Dave.

Interesting quote you have from Sir Athur Bryant...

A

[Take on me]

I have heard a slightly altered version during which the lines go

''And when he gets to heaven,

To St. Peter he will tell,

'One more soldier reporting sir,

I've served my time in hell' ''

Or at least I think that is the way that the lines go, would they be from the American version?

JGM