The Boy Enlists

His mother’s eyes are saddened, and her cheeks are stained with tears,

And I’m facing now the struggle that I’ve dreaded through the years;

For the boy that was our baby has been changed into a man.

He’s enlisted in the army as a true American.

He held her for a moment in his arms before he spoke,

And I watched him as he kissed her, and it seemed to me I’d choke,

For I knew just what was coming, and I knew just what he’d done!

‘Another little mother had a soldier for a son.

When we’d pulled ourselves together, and the first quick tears had dried,

We could see his eyes were blazing with the fire of manly pride;

We could see his head was higher than it ever was before,

For we had a man to cherish, and our baby was no more.

Oh, I don’t know how to say it! With the sorrow comes the joy

That there isn’t any coward in the make-up of our boy.

And with pride our hearts are swelling, though with grief they’re also hit,

For the boy that was our baby has stepped forth to do his bit,