Christmas in Wartime - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 22:48, 4 April 2026

2026-04-04T22:48:10Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:48, 5 April 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	''Christmas in Wartime'' (or ''Christmas in Trouble'') is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[The Guards Came Through and Other Poems]] on 16 december 1919.		''Christmas in Wartime'' (or ''Christmas in Trouble'') is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[The Guards Came Through and Other Poems]] on 16 december 1919.


	__TOC__		__TOC__

TCDE-Team at 22:47, 4 April 2026

2026-04-04T22:47:57Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:47, 5 April 2026
Line 16:		Line 16:
	== Christmas in Wartime ==		== Christmas in Wartime ==

			<poem>
	'''1916'''		'''1916'''

	Cheer oh, comrades, we can bide the blast~~<br />~~		Cheer oh, comrades, we can bide the blast
	And face the gloom until it shall grow lighter.~~<br />~~		And face the gloom until it shall grow lighter.
	What though one Christmas should be overcast,~~<br />~~		What though one Christmas should be overcast,
	If duty done makes all the others brighter.		If duty done makes all the others brighter.

			'''1917'''
			'''The Last Lap'''

	~~'''1917'''<br />~~		We seldom were quick off the mark,
	~~'''THE LAST LAP'''~~		And sprinting was never our game;
			But when it's insistence and hold-for-the-distance,
	We seldom were quick off the mark,~~<br />~~
	And sprinting was never our game;~~<br />~~
	But when it's insistence and hold-for-the-distance,~~<br />~~
	We've never been beat at that same.		We've never been beat at that same.

			The first lap was all to the Hun,
	The first lap was all to the Hun,~~<br />~~		At the second we still saw his back;
	At the second we still saw his back;~~<br />~~		But we knew how to wait and to spurt down the straight,
	But we knew how to wait and to spurt down the straight,~~<br />~~
	Till we left him dead-beat on the track.		Till we left him dead-beat on the track.

			He's a bluffer for all he is worth,
	He's a bluffer for all he is worth,~~<br />~~
	But he's winded and done to the core,		But he's winded and done to the core,
	So the last lap is here, with the tape very near,~~<br />~~		So the last lap is here, with the tape very near,
	And the old colours well to the fore.		And the old colours well to the fore.


	'''1918'''		'''1918'''

	Not merry! No—the words would grate,~~<br />~~		Not merry! No—the words would grate,
	With gaps at every table-side,~~<br />~~		With gaps at every table-side,
	But chastened, thankful, calm, sedate,~~<br />~~		But chastened, thankful, calm, sedate,
	Be your victorious Christmas-tide.		Be your victorious Christmas-tide.
			</poem>

	''[The part below has been added for his 1921-1922 christmas card]''		''[The part below has been added for his 1921-1922 christmas card]''


			<poem>
	'''1921'''		'''1921'''

	"Now for Peace and now for plenty !"~~<br />~~		"Now for Peace and now for plenty !"
	So we said in 1920.~~<br />~~		So we said in 1920.
	Alas there followed fire and flood,~~<br />~~		Alas there followed fire and flood,
	1920 proved a dud.		1920 proved a dud.

			But we were not to be done,
	But we were not to be done,~~<br />~~		"Stand by now for '21 !"
	"Stand by now for '21 !"~~<br />~~		Economic strife and bother !
	Economic strife and bother !~~<br />~~
	It was dudder than the other.		It was dudder than the other.

			Well we raise our peckers still,
	Well we raise our peckers still,~~<br />~~		'22 may fill the bill,
	'22 may fill the bill,~~<br />~~		When old Ireland troubles not.
	When old Ireland troubles not.~~<br />~~
	And the Trotskys cease to trot.		And the Trotskys cease to trot.

			We hope so—and we wear meanwhile
	We hope so—and we wear meanwhile~~<br />~~		Our patent shock-absorbing smile.
	Our patent shock-absorbing smile.~~<br />~~		But whatever fate may do.
	But whatever fate may do.~~<br />~~
	We send our greeting out to you.		We send our greeting out to you.
			</poem>

TCDE-Team at 15:58, 18 August 2016

2016-08-18T15:58:42Z

New page

''Christmas in Wartime'' (or ''Christmas in Trouble'') is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[The Guards Came Through and Other Poems]] on 16 december 1919.

__TOC__

== Editions ==

* Originally on Conan Doyle Christmas card
* in ''[[The Guards Came Through and Other Poems]]'' (16 december 1919, [[John Murray]] [UK])
* in ''[[The Guards Came Through and Other Poems]]'' (1920, [[George H. Doran Co.]] [US])
* in ''[[The Poems of Arthur Conan Doyle]] - Collected Edition'' (21 september 1922, [[John Murray]] [UK]) as ''Christmas in Trouble''
* in ''[[The Poems of Arthur Conan Doyle]] - Collected Edition'' (14 september 1928, [[John Murray]] [UK]) as ''Christmas in Trouble''

== Christmas in Wartime ==

'''1916'''

Cheer oh, comrades, we can bide the blast 
And face the gloom until it shall grow lighter. 
What though one Christmas should be overcast, 
If duty done makes all the others brighter.

'''1917''' 
'''THE LAST LAP'''

We seldom were quick off the mark, 
And sprinting was never our game; 
But when it's insistence and hold-for-the-distance, 
We've never been beat at that same.

The first lap was all to the Hun, 
At the second we still saw his back; 
But we knew how to wait and to spurt down the straight, 
Till we left him dead-beat on the track.

He's a bluffer for all he is worth, 
But he's winded and done to the core,
So the last lap is here, with the tape very near, 
And the old colours well to the fore.

'''1918'''

Not merry! No—the words would grate, 
With gaps at every table-side, 
But chastened, thankful, calm, sedate, 
Be your victorious Christmas-tide.

''[The part below has been added for his 1921-1922 christmas card]''

'''1921'''

"Now for Peace and now for plenty !" 
So we said in 1920. 
Alas there followed fire and flood, 
1920 proved a dud.

But we were not to be done, 
"Stand by now for '21 !" 
Economic strife and bother ! 
It was dudder than the other.

Well we raise our peckers still, 
'22 may fill the bill, 
When old Ireland troubles not. 
And the Trotskys cease to trot.

We hope so—and we wear meanwhile 
Our patent shock-absorbing smile. 
But whatever fate may do. 
We send our greeting out to you.

----
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]