| George Herbert Clarke, ed. (1873–1953). A Treasury of War Poetry. 1917. |
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| 89. A Petition |
| | | By Robert Ernest Vernède |
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| ALL that a man might ask thou hast given me, England, | |
| Birthright and happy childhood’s long heart’s-ease, | |
| And love whose range is deep beyond all sounding | |
| And wider than all seas: | |
| A heart to front the world and find God in it, | 5 |
| Eyes blind enow but not too blind to see | |
| The lovely things behind the dross and darkness, | |
| And lovelier things to be; | |
| And friends whose loyalty time nor death shall weaken | |
| And quenchless hope and laughter’s golden store— | 10 |
| All that a man might ask thou hast given me, England, | |
| Yet grant thou one thing more: | |
| That now when envious foes would spoil thy splendour, | |
| Unversed in arms, a dreamer such as I, | |
| May in thy ranks be deemed not all unworthy, | 15 |
| England, for thee to die. | |
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