The bold Marine comes back from war,

So kind:

The bold Marine comes back from war,

So kind:

With a raggety coat and a worn-out shoe.

"Now, poor Marine, say, whence come you,

All so kind?"

I travel back from the war, madame,

So kind:

I travel back from the war, madame,

So kind:

For a glass of wine and a bowl of whey,

'Tis I will sing you a ballad gay,

All so kind.

The bold Marine he sips his whey,

So kind:

He sips and he sings his ballad gay,

So kind:

But the dame she turns toward the wall,

To wipe her tears that fall and fall,

All so kind.

What aileth you at my song, madame,

So kind?

I hope that I sing no wrong, madame,

So kind?

Or grieves it you a beggar should dine

On a bowl of whey and the good white wine,

All so kind?

It ails me not at your ballad gay,

So kind:

It ails me not for the wine and whey,

So kind:

But it ails me sore for the voice and eyes

Of a good man long in Paradise.—

Ah, so kind!

You have fair children five, madame,

So kind:

You have fair children five, madame,

So kind:

Your good man left you children three;

Whence came these twain for company,

All so kind?

"A letter came from the war, Marine,

So kind:

A letter came from the war, Marine,

So kind:

A while I wept for the good man dead,

But another good man in a while I wed,

All so kind."

The bold Marine he drained his glass,

So kind:

The bold Marine he drained his glass,

So kind.

He said not a word, though the tears they flowed,

But back to his regiment took the road,

All so kind.