In London, Lena met Ivor Novello with whom she collaborated
to write the lyrics for the song "Keep the Home Fires burning". Other lyrics by Lena are "We are
coming, Mother England", "When God gave you to me" and "God
guard you".
On 7th March 1918, Lena and her son were killed during a
German air raid on London. They were the first American civilian casualties to
be killed in an air raid in London during the First World war. Mrs Brown was slightly injured during the
raid but survived. The bodies of Lena
and her son were returned to the United States for burial.
Lena is included in "Female Poets of the First World War: Volume 1" and her story was also included among the panels of the exhibition Inspirational Women of the First World War held in 2014 at The Wilfred Owen Story museum, which is now in West Kirby Wirral but was previously in Argyle Street, Birkenhead, Wirral, UK.
Lena is included in "Female Poets of the First World War: Volume 1" and her story was also included among the panels of the exhibition Inspirational Women of the First World War held in 2014 at The Wilfred Owen Story museum, which is now in West Kirby Wirral but was previously in Argyle Street, Birkenhead, Wirral, UK.
“Keep the Home Fires Burning” was originally published on 8th October 1914 under its original title, “Till the Boys Come Home”. The lyrics were written by American poet and lyricist Lena Guilbert Brown Ford and the music was composed by Welshman Ivor Novello.
They were summoned from the hillside
They were called in from the glen
And the Country found them ready
At the stirring call for men
Let no tears add to their hardship
As the Soldiers pass along
And although your heart is breaking
Make it sing this cheery song
[Chorus]
Keep the Home Fires burning
While your hearts are yearning
Though your lads are far away
They dream of home
There's a silver lining
Through the dark cloud shining
Turn the dark cloud inside out
Till the boys come Home
[Verse 2]
Over seas there came a pleading
"Help a Nation in distress!"
And we gave our glorious laddies
Honor made us do no less
For no gallant Son of Freedom
To a tyrant's yoke should bend
And a noble heart must answer
To the sacred call of "Friend!"
[Chorus]
Keep the Home Fires Burning
While your hearts are yearning
Though your lads are far away
They dream of home
There's a silver lining
Through the dark clouds shining
Turn the dark cloud inside out
'Til the boys come home
Sources:
https://www.google.com/search?q=keep+the+home+fires+burning&rlz=1C1CHBD_en-GBGB794GB794&oq=keep+the+home+fires&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l3j46j0j46.3300j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lena_Gilbert_Ford
http://www.poshupnorth.com/2013/08/new-title-female-poets-of-first-world.html
