 | The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") |  |
CROSSING THE RIVER.
Murmurs the soldier in dying,
As the death-pang the tired spirit frees,
“Let us all cross over the river,
And rest in the shade of the trees.”
As the death-pang the tired spirit frees,
“Let us all cross over the river,
And rest in the shade of the trees.”
Ah! could we cross o'er that river,
And rest in the shadows, and then,
Refreshed by repose and grown stronger,
Come back to our struggle again!
And rest in the shadows, and then,
Refreshed by repose and grown stronger,
Come back to our struggle again!
Over that free-flowing river,
Beyond where its dark waters roar,
Are the trees of the balsam or upas,
That grow on its farthermost shore?
Beyond where its dark waters roar,
Are the trees of the balsam or upas,
That grow on its farthermost shore?
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What is the destiny waiting
Thither side of that shadowy deep—
Sweet ease and repose for the spirit,
Or the gloom of eternal sleep?
Thither side of that shadowy deep—
Sweet ease and repose for the spirit,
Or the gloom of eternal sleep?
None who have passed that river,
And rested beneath the trees,
Have ever come back to tell us
If the shadows brought slumber or ease.
And rested beneath the trees,
Have ever come back to tell us
If the shadows brought slumber or ease.
Nevertheless and forever
Across the deep river they go,
The basest and purest together—
Together the high and the low.
Across the deep river they go,
The basest and purest together—
Together the high and the low.
There in their rags go the beggars,
And there in their robes go the rich;
The few who expire in the palace,
And the many who die in the ditch;
And there in their robes go the rich;
The few who expire in the palace,
And the many who die in the ditch;
Those who have graven their story
On high in the temple of Fame,
And those who have lived without glory,
And left us not even a name;
On high in the temple of Fame,
And those who have lived without glory,
And left us not even a name;
Those whom we loved for their goodness,
And those whom we hated for crime,
All passing from life's dreary struggle,
Out of light, out of mind, out of time;
And those whom we hated for crime,
All passing from life's dreary struggle,
Out of light, out of mind, out of time;
Plunging in mist and in darkness,
Where doubting with terror agrees,
They cross the mysterious river,
And seek for the shade of the trees.
Where doubting with terror agrees,
They cross the mysterious river,
And seek for the shade of the trees.
| The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") | |