Life, 1917-10-18 · page 7 of 40
Life — October 18, 1917 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a patriotic poem by Clinton Scollard alongside an illustration labeled "A Vision of St. John." The poem celebrates military strength and honor, invoking imagery of "Flemish fields" and sacrifice—likely referencing World War I combat. The illustration, credited to Otto Cushing, depicts a biblical scene: an angel constraining a dragon with a chain. The caption references Revelation, where an angel binds Satan to prevent deceiving nations. The visual appears to use religious symbolism to suggest divine intervention against destructive forces—possibly representing hope that evil (the dragon/Satan) would be restrained during wartime. Together, the poem and illustration frame military conflict as spiritually justified, blending patriotic and religious themes common in WWI-era American propaganda.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE After Many Days F, feeling that our hands were strong, We have been patient, patient long, And slow to anger when assailed By that insidious, grasping throng Before which half the world has quailed ; If we have seemed too fond of ease Behind our bulwark of the seas, Content while others took the thrust, And bore unheard of agonies, Let us be humble in the dust! Let us be humble, but no less, Since from our limbs the dull duress Has fallen, and we behold the light, ‘ouse in rightcousness, And strike with our embattled might! Rather on Flemish fields o’errun By the massed legions of the Hun Our bravest, dearest blood be shed Than we should fail in duty done, And know our ancient honor dead! Clinton Scollard, A VISION OF ST. JOHN + agreat chain in his hand bound him I saw an angel . and he laid hold on the dragon and that he should deceive the nations no more comicbooks.com