 | Complete works (1925-27) |  |
92
THE RIDE FROM MILAN
As we rode into the day, riding silent all the way,
Through the dark a pulse of grey throbbed and ran;
Till a sunrise white and lowly smote athwart the shadows holy
As we rode on, riding slowly from Milan.
Through the dark a pulse of grey throbbed and ran;
Till a sunrise white and lowly smote athwart the shadows holy
As we rode on, riding slowly from Milan.
Then we saw their eagles glisten—saw the gloom recede and lessen,
Paused as one might pause to listen what were said—
Saw the white points burn together, saw the Devil's colours gather,
In a pause of thunderous weather overhead.
Paused as one might pause to listen what were said—
Saw the white points burn together, saw the Devil's colours gather,
In a pause of thunderous weather overhead.
Black with doubtful fluctuation shone the streamen from their station,
In a sullen hesitation of the light;
Under these the grey mass thickened; and our eyes with wrath were quickened,
And our hands with hatred sickened at the sight.
In a sullen hesitation of the light;
Under these the grey mass thickened; and our eyes with wrath were quickened,
And our hands with hatred sickened at the sight.
Face to silent face was turned, hands against the sword-hilt yearned,
All the breathless anger burned in a smile,
As we stood up face to face, as we stood up race by race,
In that bloodless battle-place for a while.
All the breathless anger burned in a smile,
As we stood up face to face, as we stood up race by race,
In that bloodless battle-place for a while.
93
Ah, but soon we smiled no longer; soon our hearts felt hard and stronger,
With the blind and murderous hunger that they knew;
There was just a pause to wonder—there was noise of iron and thunder—
Then the ranks were rent in sunder as it flew.
With the blind and murderous hunger that they knew;
There was just a pause to wonder—there was noise of iron and thunder—
Then the ranks were rent in sunder as it flew.
For the cannon solemn-lipped spake in tones that rose and dipt,
Rose and dipt through clouds they ripped into smoke;
And before us all the field like a stormy water ruled,
While the grave slow thunder peeled as it spoke.
Rose and dipt through clouds they ripped into smoke;
And before us all the field like a stormy water ruled,
While the grave slow thunder peeled as it spoke.
Close our dear three colours drew; deeper all the battle grew;
Face to face we smote and slew, man by man;
And the sullen palpitation of a live and trampled nation
On from station into station throbbed and ran.
Face to face we smote and slew, man by man;
And the sullen palpitation of a live and trampled nation
On from station into station throbbed and ran.
Straight upon them next we sallied, mute as wrath and somewhat pallid,
As their long lines broke and rallied far away;
Hands grew tighter, lips grew whiter, till the press seemed slowly lighter,
As the cannon's mouth burnt brighter through the day.
As their long lines broke and rallied far away;
Hands grew tighter, lips grew whiter, till the press seemed slowly lighter,
As the cannon's mouth burnt brighter through the day.
Then our hearts began to thicken for our brothers that were stricken,
And the wrath began to quicken into pain,
For the holy limbs downtrodden, for the grasses red and sodden,
Where the feet of death had trodden in the plain.
And the wrath began to quicken into pain,
For the holy limbs downtrodden, for the grasses red and sodden,
Where the feet of death had trodden in the plain.
94
Vain were horse and rider then, vain the might of many men,
For the place was as a fen—wet and red;
And the faces heaped beneath could not turn to cry or breathe,
For the close, dim weight of death overhead.
For the place was as a fen—wet and red;
And the faces heaped beneath could not turn to cry or breathe,
For the close, dim weight of death overhead.
All the blind war, like a devil, seemed to mutter through his revel,
Seemed to mutter words of evil very low,
As the cannon paused for breath in its middle speech of death,
And more vague the noise beneath seemed to grow.
Seemed to mutter words of evil very low,
As the cannon paused for breath in its middle speech of death,
And more vague the noise beneath seemed to grow.
Not one word of hope was spoken; eye to lighted eye gave token,
Till the grey great mass was broken with our steeds;
And the set wrath seemed to utter in a vague and weighty mutter,
Fainter than a hurt bird's flutter when it bleeds.
Till the grey great mass was broken with our steeds;
And the set wrath seemed to utter in a vague and weighty mutter,
Fainter than a hurt bird's flutter when it bleeds.
Then for one red hour we heard stroke of steel nor spoken word,
Beat of hoof nor blow of sword as it sunk,
But an anger half divine deepened on from line to line,
And a thirst for blood-red wine to be drunk.
Beat of hoof nor blow of sword as it sunk,
But an anger half divine deepened on from line to line,
And a thirst for blood-red wine to be drunk.
Ever as we strove and smote till the dense dead air grew hot,
The flat smoke would flow and float overhead;
Till a blind black weight of weather right above began to gather,
And the banners blown together seemed of red.
The flat smoke would flow and float overhead;
Till a blind black weight of weather right above began to gather,
And the banners blown together seemed of red.
95
As an eagle reeleth smitten through the vapours thunder-litten,
Reeled their army, blind and smitten with great fear;
Far to northward went the clangour of their trumpets in their anger,
Till the wail died into languor thin and clear.
Reeled their army, blind and smitten with great fear;
Far to northward went the clangour of their trumpets in their anger,
Till the wail died into languor thin and clear.
Ho, ro, Austrians! was this hidden, that ye stand so white and chidden?
To this pledge of ours was bidden prince and priest;
Each grand name your blazons carry where the Devil's colours marry,
Ho, our masters! will ye tarry for the feast?
To this pledge of ours was bidden prince and priest;
Each grand name your blazons carry where the Devil's colours marry,
Ho, our masters! will ye tarry for the feast?
As we rode into the night, red with respite of the fight,
Through the dark a line of white leapt and ran;
Every heart was softened wholly, every lip with praise made holy,
As we rode back very slowly to Milan.
Through the dark a line of white leapt and ran;
Every heart was softened wholly, every lip with praise made holy,
As we rode back very slowly to Milan.
| Complete works (1925-27) | |