 | Ballads of the War |  |
17
The Leonids and Ladysmith
November 14
When from the Lion rained those fiery spears,
And with cloud-armour on the brave earth passed
To meet the missiles Uranus once cast
Back to the sun, my heart was full of fears;
The cries of warrior hosts were in mine ears,
I heard in far-off fields the roar and blast
Of battle, saw fierce meteors flashing fast
Upon a cloud-girt town that rang with cheers.
And with cloud-armour on the brave earth passed
To meet the missiles Uranus once cast
Back to the sun, my heart was full of fears;
The cries of warrior hosts were in mine ears,
I heard in far-off fields the roar and blast
Of battle, saw fierce meteors flashing fast
Upon a cloud-girt town that rang with cheers.
But when I saw how quite unharmed the earth
Thro' flight of burning spears and flaming balls
Wheeled on, and went in triumph on her way,
My heart revived, my hope again had birth—
For safe beneath those stern-beleaguered walls
Methought Great Britain still unconquered lay.
Thro' flight of burning spears and flaming balls
Wheeled on, and went in triumph on her way,
My heart revived, my hope again had birth—
For safe beneath those stern-beleaguered walls
Methought Great Britain still unconquered lay.
| Ballads of the War | |