Claribel and Other Poems By W. J. Linton |
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THE
BRAVE WOMEN OF TANN |
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 | Claribel and Other Poems |  |
109
THE BRAVE WOMEN OF TANN
[_]
[There is a little town in the Vosges, where on all public occasions the women take precedence of the men, in virtue of their conduct related below.]
Sate the heavy burghers
In their gloomy hall,
Pondering all the dangers
Likely to befall,—
Ward they yet or yield the strangers
Their beleaguer'd wall.
In their gloomy hall,
Pondering all the dangers
Likely to befall,—
Ward they yet or yield the strangers
Their beleaguer'd wall.
‘All our trade is ruin'd:
Saw I this afar,—
Said I not—our markets
Month-long siege will mar?
Let not our good town embark its
Fortunes on this war.
Saw I this afar,—
Said I not—our markets
Month-long siege will mar?
Let not our good town embark its
Fortunes on this war.
110
‘Now our folly takes us:
War first hath his share,
Famine now; who dreameth
Bankrupts can repair
Double loss? or likely seemeth
Victors should despair?
War first hath his share,
Famine now; who dreameth
Bankrupts can repair
Double loss? or likely seemeth
Victors should despair?
‘And our trade is ruin'd:
Little that remains
Let us save, to hearse us
From these bloody pains,
Ere the wrathful foe amerce us
Of our farthest gains!’
Little that remains
Let us save, to hearse us
From these bloody pains,
Ere the wrathful foe amerce us
Of our farthest gains!’
Up and speaks young Hermann
With the flushing cheek—
‘Shame were it to render:
Though the wall be weak’—
Say the old men—‘Let us end or
Certain death we seek!’
With the flushing cheek—
‘Shame were it to render:
Though the wall be weak’—
Say the old men—‘Let us end or
Certain death we seek!’
In their gloomy chamber
Thus their councils wend:—
‘Five of our most trusted
With the morn descend;
Say—So peace may be adjusted
Chained lives we'll spend.
Thus their councils wend:—
‘Five of our most trusted
With the morn descend;
Say—So peace may be adjusted
Chained lives we'll spend.
111
‘Now home to our women!
They'll be glad to learn
We have weigh'd so gravely
“Peace” hath fill'd the urn:
Though in truth they've borne them bravely
In this weary turn.’
They'll be glad to learn
We have weigh'd so gravely
“Peace” hath fill'd the urn:
Though in truth they've borne them bravely
In this weary turn.’
Home unto their women;
But each burgher found
Scorn in place of smiling:
For each good-wife frown'd
On this coward reconciling,
Peace with honour bound.
But each burgher found
Scorn in place of smiling:
For each good-wife frown'd
On this coward reconciling,
Peace with honour bound.
In their morrow's council
Woman voices rise:
‘Count ye babes and women
But as merchandize,
To be traffick'd with the foemen,—
Things of such a price?
Woman voices rise:
‘Count ye babes and women
But as merchandize,
To be traffick'd with the foemen,—
Things of such a price?
‘We will man your ramparts;
Ye, who are not men,
Go hide in your coffers!
We will call you when’—
Slid home 'mid the crowd of scoffers
Those five heralds then.
Ye, who are not men,
Go hide in your coffers!
We will call you when’—
Slid home 'mid the crowd of scoffers
Those five heralds then.
112
In the morrow's danger
Women take their share;
Many a sad grey morning
Found them watching there:
Till we learn'd from their high scorning
To make light of care.
Women take their share;
Many a sad grey morning
Found them watching there:
Till we learn'd from their high scorning
To make light of care.
Chief with our gaunt warders
Hermann's young Betrothed
Pass'd, like Victory's Splendour,—
In bright courage clothed:
Fear hid, fearful to offend her,
Knowing himself loathed.
Hermann's young Betrothed
Pass'd, like Victory's Splendour,—
In bright courage clothed:
Fear hid, fearful to offend her,
Knowing himself loathed.
Blinding red the sunset!
In that hopeful breast
Stay'd the foeman's arrow
So 'twas won. The rest—
How Despair in strait most narrow
Smote the Conqueror's crest—
In that hopeful breast
Stay'd the foeman's arrow
So 'twas won. The rest—
How Despair in strait most narrow
Smote the Conqueror's crest—
Matters not. Our women
Drove him to his den.
'Twas his last invasion;
We've had peace since then.—
This is why on State occasion
They precede our men.
Drove him to his den.
'Twas his last invasion;
We've had peace since then.—
This is why on State occasion
They precede our men.
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