Two Little Boys - Greg Brown

Two little boys, two little toys

Each was a wooden horse.

Gaily they played, each summer’s day

Soldier boys, of course.

One little chap, he had a mishap

And he broke off his horse’s head,

Wept for his toy, then cried with joy

When his young comrade said:

«Do you think, Jack, I’d leave you crying

When there’s room on my horse for two?

Climb up, Jack, we’ll soon be flying.

He can go just as fast with two.

When we grow, we'll both be soldiers

And our horses won’t be toys,

And it may be, Jack, that we’ll remember

When we were two little boys.»

The years quickly passed,

The war came at last'

And bravely the boys marched away.

Cannon roared loud, midst the mad crowd

Wounded and dying Jack lay.

When out rings a cry and a horse dashes by Out of the ranks of the blue.

Dashes away to where Jack lay

And a voice rang strong and true.

«Do you think Jack, I’d could leave you dying

When there’s room on my horse for two?

Climb up Jack, we’ll soon be flying

He can go just as fast with two.

Do you Jack, I’m all a tremble?

Perhaps it’s the battles noise-

Or maybe, Jack, that I remember

When we were two little boys.