'Twas hard to think that he must go, br We knew that we should miss him so, br We thought that he must always stay br Beside us, laughing, day by day; br That he must never know the care br And hurt and grief of life out there. br Then came the call for youth, and he br Talked with his mother and with me, br And suddenly we learned the boy br Was hungering to know the joy br Of doing something real with life, br And that he craved the test of strife. br br And so we steeled ourselves to dread; br To see at night his empty bed; br To feel the silence and the gloom br That hovers o'er his vacant room, br And though we wept the day he went, br And many a lonely hour we've spent, br We've come to think as he, somehow, br And we are more contented now; br We're proud that we can stand and say br We have a boy who's gone away. br And we are glad to know that he br Is serving where he ought to be. br br It's queer, the change that time has brought: br We're different now in speech and thought; br His letters home mean joy to us, br His difficulties we discuss. br When word of his promotion came, br His mother, with her eyes aflame br With happiness and pride, rushed out br To tell the neighbors round about. br Her boy! Her boy is doing well! br What greater news can mothers tell? br I think that pity now we show br For those who have no boys to go.