 | My Mind and its Thoughts, in Sketches, Fragments, and Essays |  |
216
DIRGE.
FOR THE PUBLIC FUNERAL OF CAPTAIN LAWRENCE.
Victim of a Nation's wrong!
Gallant sailor!—sufferer dear!
To thy pallid brow belong
Wreaths, impearled by victory's tear.
Gallant sailor!—sufferer dear!
To thy pallid brow belong
Wreaths, impearled by victory's tear.
When the battle's blast begun,
Were thy living features seen,
Glorious as the risen sun,
As his parting ray serene.
Were thy living features seen,
Glorious as the risen sun,
As his parting ray serene.
All of heart and temper kind;
All of soul that seems divine,
Worthy of a hero's mind,
In a hero's form were thine.
All of soul that seems divine,
Worthy of a hero's mind,
In a hero's form were thine.
Must we on thy hearse bestow,
Tears that speak a nation's grief,
While that nation's peans flow,
Grateful to her Victor chief.
Tears that speak a nation's grief,
While that nation's peans flow,
Grateful to her Victor chief.
As in Freedom's cause to die,
Was thy life's adoring prayer,
In her trophied earth to lie,
By the slain who slumber there.
Was thy life's adoring prayer,
In her trophied earth to lie,
By the slain who slumber there.
Never o'er her warrior's grave,
May a nation's memory sleep,
Glory that outlives the brave,
Tears of angels there shall weep.
May a nation's memory sleep,
Glory that outlives the brave,
Tears of angels there shall weep.
| My Mind and its Thoughts, in Sketches, Fragments, and Essays | |