Trying to help someone find a poem

[shoemad]

She thinks the first line is:
England Lives, who dares say England dies'
However, it's possible that this is not the first line and she is not remembering it perfectly.
I have searched various poetry websites without success.
Does it ring a bell with anyone please?

[DTCwordfan]

Not Rupert Brooke's "The Soldier", is it?

If I should die, think only this of me:
That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam;
A body of England’s, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

[shoemad]

I don't know if that is the poem, but I will pass it on to her.
She did seem to think it contained the line 'who dares say England dies'
thank you for your quick response.
X

[Aquariel]

There's a poem called "For All We Have And Are" by Rudyard Kipling which ends with "Who lives if England dies?".

But it could be anything if she hasn't remembered it correctly!

[shoemad]

as you say, difficult when she is not sure of exact lines. The Kipling one sounds promising. Thank you
X

[DTCwordfan]

For all we have and are,
For all our children's fate,
Stand up and take the war.
The Hun is at the gate!
Our world has passed away,
In wantonness o'erthrown.
There is nothing left to-day
But steel and fire and stone!
Though all we knew depart,
The old Commandments stand: --
"In courage keep your heart,
In strength lift up your hand."

Once more we hear the word
That sickened earth of old: --
"No law except the Sword
Unsheathed and uncontrolled."
Once more it knits mankind,
Once more the nations go
To meet and break and bind
A crazed and driven foe.

Comfort, content, delight,
The ages' slow-bought gain,
They shrivelled in a night.
Only ourselves remain
To face the naked days
In silent fortitude,
Through perils and dismays
Renewed and re-renewed.
Though all we made depart,
The old Commandments stand: --
"In patience keep your heart,
In strength lift up your hand."

No easy hope or lies
Shall bring us to our goal,
But iron sacrifice
Of body, will, and soul.
There is but one task for all --
One life for each to give.
What stands if Freedom fall?
Who dies if England live?

[boomster]

I think the fantastic poem submitted by the last person has to be the answer and I would like to thank DTcrosswordfan for supplying that poem. Do you happen to know the author? Thank you! :)

[Mamyalynne]

As stated Kipling

http://www.poetrylove..._we_have_and_are.html

[boomster]

Thanks Mamy and thanks Aqualyn, I overlooked your answer. It's a splendid poem, I can't think how I've missed it before now, I even have a poetry book by Kipling. :)