Come Back Clean
The story revolves around a woman who returns to her hometown after being away for several years. She had left due to a scandalous affair with a married man, and now she's back, seeking redemption and forgiveness from the community that once shunned her. As she tries to rebuild her life, she faces opposition from those who still harbor resentment towards her past actions.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1889 · Genre: Poetry, War Literature, Inspirational · 349 words
First lines
This is the song for a soldier To sing as he rides from home To the fields afar where the battles are Or over the ocean's foam: ‘Whatever the dangers waiting In the lands I have not seen, If I do not fall-if I come back at all, Then I will come back clean.
‘I may lie in the mud of the trenches, I may reek with blood and mire, But I will control, by the God in my soul, The might of my man's desire. I will fight my foe in the open, But my sword shall be sharp and keen For the foe within who would lure me to sin, And I will come back clean.
What this Textopian page supports
Come Back Clean is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, War Literature, Inspirational, Historical, Philosophical
- Length: 349 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Come Back Clean by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- War Literature — The themes revolve around a soldier's experiences and moral struggles during wartime.
- Inspirational — The poem emphasizes moral integrity and personal resolve in the face of adversity.
- Historical — The context and setting are related to historical wartime events.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · Early 20th Century · Romance · Love Poems · Nature Imagery · Spirituality · Mysticism · Philosophical · Contemplative · Emotional Depth · Personal Growth