[First World War postcard poem by the 'Bath Railway Poet', Henry Chappell.] The Day. ['You boasted the Day, and you toasted the Day, | And now the Day has come.']

Chappell gained a degree of fame with the publication of this poem in the Daily Express of 22 August 1914. The poem is addressed to the German people, and concerns the supposed toast among German army officers in the lead-up to the First World War, 'Der Tag' (i.e. 'the day' on which the war with England would commence). The poem is printed in portrait alignment on one side of a 14 x 8.5 cm postcard, within red and blue ink borders, giving a 'red white and blue' effect. Beneath the title in square brackets is the following: 'The author of this magnificent poem is Mr. Henry Chappell, a railway porter at Bath. Mr. Chappell is known to his comrades as the "Bath Railway Poet." A poem such as this lifts him to the rank of a national poet.' Printed text on the reverse includes: 'FOR INLAND POSTAGE ONLY' and 'LONDON "DAILY EXPRESS."' In good condition, on lightly-aged card, with minor repairs to one corner on reverse, and a small closed tear to one edge. Thirty-six lines, in six stanzas, with the first reading: 'You boasted the Day, and you toasted the Day, | And now the Day has come. | Blasphemer, braggart and coward all, | Little you reck of the numbing ball, | The blasting shell, or the "white arm's" fall, | As they speed poor humans home.' An attractive piece of First World War ephemera and propaganda. No other copy of this postcard has been traced.