University of Virginia Library

BROTHERS

IN MEMORY OF AUSTIN FARRAND, KILLED IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR

Now hath Death dealt a generous violence,
Calling thee swiftly hence
By the like instrument of instant fire,
To join thy heart's desire,
Thy brother, slain before thee; but whom thou,
Slain friend! regainest now.
True brother wast thou, whom from his dear side
Death did not long divide.
How often, till the golden stars grew dim,
Our speech was but of him,
Exiled beneath those Afric stars, whose deep
Radiance adorns your sleep!
Fair warrior brothers, excellently dead,
Your loyal lifeblood shed,
In death's gray distant land do thou and he
Keep any mind of me,
Of old days filled with laughter of delight,
And many a laughing night?
Yes! for although your stars in storm have set,
Nor you, nor I, forget:
Earthward you long and lean, earthward: and I
Toward your eternity.
Death cannot conquer all; your love and mine
Live, deathlessly divine.
You wait, I wait, a little while we wait:
And then, the wide-flung Gate,
The impassionate Heavens, the white-horsed, whiterobed Knights,
The chaunting on the heights,
The beauty of the Bright and Morning Star!
Then, burst our prison bar,
Shall we for evermore each other see,
We three, we happy three,
Where, in the white perfection of God's peace,
Old love shall find increase.
In faith and hope endure our hearts till then:
Amen! Amen!