
New York edition of 1916
Foreword
The Fool
The Volunteer
The Convalescent
The Man from Athabaska
The Red Retreat
The Haggis of Private McPhee
The Lark
The Odyssey of 'Erbert 'Iggins
Through a stark, lyrical lens, this collection captures the everyday turmoil of a World War I medical aide. The poet weaves vivid snapshots of trench mud, shattered shrines, and the frantic rush of wounded soldiers into verses that pulse with the urgency of candle‑lit barns and battlefield nightfalls. Dedicated to his fallen brother, the verses blend grief, bitter irony, and moments of fleeting solace.
Listeners will hear the raw chorus of recruitment cries, the bitter humor of a young scholar turned soldier, and the haunting elegies for comrades lost in the mud and the fire. The work oscillates between brutal realism and a desperate search for meaning, asking whether any righteousness can survive the roar of guns. It offers a haunting, humanizing portrait of war’s front‑line compassion, inviting reflection on sacrifice and the fragile thread of hope that persists amid devastation.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (133K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by A. Light, and David Widger
Release date
1995-08-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1874–1958
Best known for vivid, story-driven poems of the Yukon and the Klondike, this hugely popular writer turned frontier legends into unforgettable verse. His work blends adventure, humor, hardship, and a strong feel for the lives of ordinary people.
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