 | My Lyrical Life |  |
A WAR WINTER'S-NIGHT IN ENGLAND.
Wild is the wintry weather!
Dark is the night, and cold!
Closely we crowd together,
For warmth in the family fold.
A mute and mighty Shadow flies
Across the land on wings of Gloom!
And through each Home its awful eyes
May lighten with their stroke of doom.
Life's light burns dim—we hold the breath—
All sit stern in the shadow of Death,
Around the Household fire—
This Winter's-night in England,
Straining our ears for the tidings of War,
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
Dark is the night, and cold!
Closely we crowd together,
For warmth in the family fold.
A mute and mighty Shadow flies
Across the land on wings of Gloom!
And through each Home its awful eyes
May lighten with their stroke of doom.
Life's light burns dim—we hold the breath—
All sit stern in the shadow of Death,
Around the Household fire—
This Winter's-night in England,
Straining our ears for the tidings of War,
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
Oh, talk of Britain's glory;—
Oh, sing some brave old song;—
Or tell the thrilling story
Of her wrestle with the wrong,
Till we clutch the spirit-sword for the strife,
And into our Rest would rather fall
Down Battle's cataract of life,
Than turn the white face to the wall.
Sing O, for a charge victorious!
And the meekest face grows glorious!
As we sit by the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England,—
Our spirits within us like steeds of War!
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
Oh, sing some brave old song;—
Or tell the thrilling story
Of her wrestle with the wrong,
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And into our Rest would rather fall
Down Battle's cataract of life,
Than turn the white face to the wall.
Sing O, for a charge victorious!
And the meekest face grows glorious!
As we sit by the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England,—
Our spirits within us like steeds of War!
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
And oft in silence solemn
We peer from Night's dark tent,
And see the quivering Column,
Like a cloud by lightning rent.
For death, how merry they mount and ride!
Those swords look keen for their lap of gore!
Such Valour leaps out Deified!
Such souls must rend the clay they wore!
How proud they sweep on Glory's track!
So many start! so few come back
To sit by the Household fire,
On a Winter's-night in England,
And with rich tears wash their wounds of War,
Where we, Beacon-like, hold our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
We peer from Night's dark tent,
And see the quivering Column,
Like a cloud by lightning rent.
For death, how merry they mount and ride!
Those swords look keen for their lap of gore!
Such Valour leaps out Deified!
Such souls must rend the clay they wore!
How proud they sweep on Glory's track!
So many start! so few come back
To sit by the Household fire,
On a Winter's-night in England,
And with rich tears wash their wounds of War,
Where we, Beacon-like, hold our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
We thrill to the Clarion's clangour,
We harness for the fight:
With the Warrior's glorious anger,
We are nobly-mad to smite:
No dalliance, save with Hate, hold we,
Where Life and Death keep bloody tryst,
And all the red Reality
Reels on us through a murder-mist!
Wave upon Wave rolls Ruin's flood,
And the hosts of the Tyrant melt in blood,
As we sit by the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England,
And our Colour flies out to the music of War,
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
We harness for the fight:
With the Warrior's glorious anger,
We are nobly-mad to smite:
No dalliance, save with Hate, hold we,
Where Life and Death keep bloody tryst,
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Reels on us through a murder-mist!
Wave upon Wave rolls Ruin's flood,
And the hosts of the Tyrant melt in blood,
As we sit by the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England,
And our Colour flies out to the music of War,
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
Old England still hath Heroes
To wear her Sword and Shield!
We knew them not while near us,
We know them far afield!
Look! how the Tyrant's hills they climb,
To hurl our gage in his grim hold!
The Titans of the earlier time,
Though larger-limbed, were smaller-souled!
Laurel, or Amaranth, light their brow!
Living or dead, we crown them now,
As we sit by the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England;
From the white cliffs watching the storm of War;
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
To wear her Sword and Shield!
We knew them not while near us,
We know them far afield!
Look! how the Tyrant's hills they climb,
To hurl our gage in his grim hold!
The Titans of the earlier time,
Though larger-limbed, were smaller-souled!
Laurel, or Amaranth, light their brow!
Living or dead, we crown them now,
As we sit by the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England;
From the white cliffs watching the storm of War;
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
O! their brave love hath rootage
In the Old Land, deep and dear,
And Life's ripe, ruddy fruitage
Hangs summering for them here!
And tender eyes, tear-luminous,
Melt through the dark of dreamland skies,
While, pleading aye for home and us,
The heart is one live brood of cries!
Old feelings cling! O how they cling!
And sweet birds sing! O how they sing
Them back to the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England,
Where we wait for them weary and wounded from War,
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar!
In the Old Land, deep and dear,
And Life's ripe, ruddy fruitage
Hangs summering for them here!
And tender eyes, tear-luminous,
Melt through the dark of dreamland skies,
While, pleading aye for home and us,
The heart is one live brood of cries!
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And sweet birds sing! O how they sing
Them back to the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England,
Where we wait for them weary and wounded from War,
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar!
Ah, me! how many a Maiden
Will wake o' nights, to find
Her tree of life, love-laden,
Swept bare in this wild wind!
The Bird of bliss, to many a nest,
Will come back never, never, never!
So many a goodly, gallant crest
That waved to victory, low for ever!
We pray for them, we fear for them,
And silently drop a tear for them,
As we sit by the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England,
Each life looking out for its own love-star!
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
Will wake o' nights, to find
Her tree of life, love-laden,
Swept bare in this wild wind!
The Bird of bliss, to many a nest,
Will come back never, never, never!
So many a goodly, gallant crest
That waved to victory, low for ever!
We pray for them, we fear for them,
And silently drop a tear for them,
As we sit by the Household fire,
This Winter's-night in England,
Each life looking out for its own love-star!
Beacon-like holding our hearts up higher,
For those who are fighting afar.
But, there's no Land like England,
Wherever that land may be!
Of all the world 'tis king-land
Crowned, by its Bride, the Sea!
And they shall rest in the balmiest bed,
Who battle for it, and bleed for it!
And they shall be head of the Glorious Dead,
Who die in the hour of need for it!
And long shall we sing of their deeds divine,
In songs that warm the heart like wine,
As we sit by the Household fire,
On a Winter's-night in England,
And the tale is told of this night of War,
When we, Beacon-like, held our hearts up higher,
For those who were fighting afar.
Wherever that land may be!
Of all the world 'tis king-land
Crowned, by its Bride, the Sea!
And they shall rest in the balmiest bed,
Who battle for it, and bleed for it!
And they shall be head of the Glorious Dead,
Who die in the hour of need for it!
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In songs that warm the heart like wine,
As we sit by the Household fire,
On a Winter's-night in England,
And the tale is told of this night of War,
When we, Beacon-like, held our hearts up higher,
For those who were fighting afar.
| My Lyrical Life | |