Camouflage
S. M. George Massey, C.M.S.C.
from B.M.A. “Blitz,” Vol. 1, No. 3
Brockville, ON: July 1942.
They tell us tales of camouflage,
The art of hiding things;
Of painted forts and bowered guns
Invisible to wings.
Well, it is nothing new to us,
To us, the rank and file;
We understand this camouflage—
We left home with a smile.
We saw the painted battleships
And earthen colored trains,
And planes the hue of leaden skies
And canvas-hidden lanes.
Well, we used the magic art
The day of anxious fears;
We understand this camouflage,
We laughed away our tears.
They say that scientific men,
And artists of renown
Debated long on camouflage
Before they got it down.
Well, it came right off to us,
We didn’t have to learn
We understand this camouflage—
We said we’d soon return.
We understand this camouflage:
The art of hiding things.
And what’s behind a soldier’s job
And all the songs he sings.
Yes, it is nothing new to us,
To us, the rank and file,
We understand this camouflage—
We left home with a smile.