To no man does the earth mean so much as to the soldier. When he presses himself down upon her long and powerfully$$$ when he buries his face and his limbs deep in her from the fear of death by shell-fire$$$ then she is his only friend$$$ his brother$$$ h

To no man does the earth mean so much as to the soldier. When he presses himself down upon her long and powerfully$$$ when he buries his face and his limbs deep in her from the fear of death by shell-fire$$$ then she is his only friend$$$ his brother$$$ his mother; he stifles his terror and his cries in her silence and her security; she shelters him and releases him for ten seconds to live$$$ to run$$$ ten seconds of life; receives him again and again and often forever.