 | Songs of a Stranger |  |
76
ROMANCE.
The knight in shining steel is clad,
His plume in the wild wind is streaming,
Like a meteor his sword is gleaming;
His gallant steed hath power and speed,
And his eye with valour is beaming:
To the battle afar he hies,
And, glowing the bright array to see,
Welcome war to my soul, he cries,
Land of my sires! since I fight for thee!
His plume in the wild wind is streaming,
Like a meteor his sword is gleaming;
His gallant steed hath power and speed,
And his eye with valour is beaming:
To the battle afar he hies,
And, glowing the bright array to see,
Welcome war to my soul, he cries,
Land of my sires! since I fight for thee!
The sounds of dreadful tumult rise,
And buckler 'gainst buckler is clashing,
With scimetar falchion is flashing—
The glorious knight, amid the fight,
Like a mountain torrent is dashing!
Dealing fate through the ranks he flies,
As though the God of the field were he,—
Welcome strife, still the warrior cries,
Land of my sires! since I strive for thee!
And buckler 'gainst buckler is clashing,
With scimetar falchion is flashing—
The glorious knight, amid the fight,
Like a mountain torrent is dashing!
Dealing fate through the ranks he flies,
As though the God of the field were he,—
Welcome strife, still the warrior cries,
Land of my sires! since I strive for thee!
77
Subdued the mighty Pagan foe—
In dust is the bright crescent lying,
While the banner of truth is flying.
The day is won!—but ah! the sun
Soon shall set on the dead and the dying!
O'er the field in panic, far and wide,
The hero marks how the vanquish'd flee—
Welcome death to my soul, he cried,
Land of my sires! since I die for thee!
In dust is the bright crescent lying,
While the banner of truth is flying.
The day is won!—but ah! the sun
Soon shall set on the dead and the dying!
O'er the field in panic, far and wide,
The hero marks how the vanquish'd flee—
Welcome death to my soul, he cried,
Land of my sires! since I die for thee!
| Songs of a Stranger | |