 | The wager and other poems |  |
22
THE PASSING OF TENNYSON
DUTY, FAITH, AND LOVE
I see a black barge, ere the night is o'er,
Come on death's mighty tide;
And one who fears not, on a lessening shore
Its coming doth abide.
Come on death's mighty tide;
And one who fears not, on a lessening shore
Its coming doth abide.
On the deck three spirits wait;
One, a queen of strength and state,
Duty, mistress of the great.
At her feet two maidens kneel—
Courage, with the ready steel,
Honour, with the stainless shield.
And her eyes are set afar
On a single argent star
Steadfast in the azure field.
One, a queen of strength and state,
Duty, mistress of the great.
At her feet two maidens kneel—
Courage, with the ready steel,
Honour, with the stainless shield.
And her eyes are set afar
On a single argent star
Steadfast in the azure field.
Faith, a spirit more sublime,
Looks across the darkened sea;
The patience of Eternity
Hath taught her soul the scorn of time,
And the splendour of her eyes
Inherits awful memories.
Looks across the darkened sea;
The patience of Eternity
Hath taught her soul the scorn of time,
And the splendour of her eyes
Inherits awful memories.
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Love, that from each sister's might
Gathers strength to feed delight,
Chants with heaven-lifted head:
“Behold our sacred dead;
This is he, a king of song;
Last of those to whom belong
That sword of light
Which, ever dull within a meaner hand,
Shines for the Knights of God a burning brand.”
Gathers strength to feed delight,
Chants with heaven-lifted head:
“Behold our sacred dead;
This is he, a king of song;
Last of those to whom belong
That sword of light
Which, ever dull within a meaner hand,
Shines for the Knights of God a burning brand.”
Rose the queenly sister's praise:
“This is he of blameless days.
Ay, this is he
Who, with increase of thought,
In lofty measures taught.
To follow me,
Devoid of mean pretence,
Were wisdom in the scorn of consequence.”
“This is he of blameless days.
Ay, this is he
Who, with increase of thought,
In lofty measures taught.
To follow me,
Devoid of mean pretence,
Were wisdom in the scorn of consequence.”
And that other sister cried:
“This is he my soul has tried.
Ever since his song began,
Through the large competence of man,
Unto life's crumbling edge,
While the faint sunset light did yet endure,
He kept my undiminished pledge
Of Faith secure.”
“This is he my soul has tried.
Ever since his song began,
Through the large competence of man,
Unto life's crumbling edge,
While the faint sunset light did yet endure,
He kept my undiminished pledge
Of Faith secure.”
Spake anew the gentler Queen:
“By his side I walked unseen
Through the wide world of men.
Again, and still again,
As one who understands,
With word-winged thought
He taught
The double love of God and man,
That since the ages ran
Doth keep in perfect touch our sister hands.
For we are they with whom his life did move,—
Duty, and Faith, and Love,—
And he for whom we wait,
The last and loneliest of the great
Who waked the infant century with their lays,
And to its waning days
Still sang elate.
O Singer, resolute and strong,
We bear thy soul to starry homes of Song.”
“By his side I walked unseen
Through the wide world of men.
Again, and still again,
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With word-winged thought
He taught
The double love of God and man,
That since the ages ran
Doth keep in perfect touch our sister hands.
For we are they with whom his life did move,—
Duty, and Faith, and Love,—
And he for whom we wait,
The last and loneliest of the great
Who waked the infant century with their lays,
And to its waning days
Still sang elate.
O Singer, resolute and strong,
We bear thy soul to starry homes of Song.”
1892.
35
THE EVE OF BATTLE
1651
Give me thy thoughts, my gentle maid,
And I will lend them wings
To soar elate above this world
Of transitory things.
And I will lend them wings
To soar elate above this world
Of transitory things.
Give me thy virgin dreams, and I
Will give their shyness song,
Shall rise as with an angel's flight
That doth for heaven long.
Will give their shyness song,
Shall rise as with an angel's flight
That doth for heaven long.
And I will praise thee, dear, so well
That thou wilt wish to be
The lover of thy perfect self,
And coyly envy me.
That thou wilt wish to be
The lover of thy perfect self,
And coyly envy me.
Or I will close my eyes, and lie
Upon thy breast, to hear
How daring is that modest heart
When eyes are none to fear;
Upon thy breast, to hear
How daring is that modest heart
When eyes are none to fear;
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And I will wait till brooding love
Hath some new sweet matured,
As bides at eve the patient flower
Of dewy hopes assured;
Hath some new sweet matured,
As bides at eve the patient flower
Of dewy hopes assured;
But if a clouded moment's dread
Forbid love's dew to fall,
I'll know to hear what words I will
In love's confessional.
Forbid love's dew to fall,
I'll know to hear what words I will
In love's confessional.
Or I will learn to share thy mood,
And silent think a space
How dear a little loss will make
Thy undiminished grace.
And silent think a space
How dear a little loss will make
Thy undiminished grace.
And from the harbour of thy breast
Shall sail joy-freighted ships
To seek, on daring ventures bent,
The fair port of thy lips.
Shall sail joy-freighted ships
To seek, on daring ventures bent,
The fair port of thy lips.
Alas! alas! the trumpet calls;
God help thy tender fears!
Ah, love would not be half of love
Had it not also tears!
God help thy tender fears!
Ah, love would not be half of love
Had it not also tears!
Last night you kissed my shining blade,
And by the King I swore
That kiss should go where never kiss
Hath ever gone before.
And by the King I swore
That kiss should go where never kiss
Hath ever gone before.
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You tied upon my helmet front
A lock of flowing gold;
By heaven! he'll have luck that rides
Before that pennon bold.
A lock of flowing gold;
By heaven! he'll have luck that rides
Before that pennon bold.
Ah! wilt thou ride in thought with me
Amid the Roundhead press,
I warrant thee full courteous room
Around my lady's tress.
Amid the Roundhead press,
I warrant thee full courteous room
Around my lady's tress.
I kneel, dear heart; for one last kiss
Shall be a prayer to bring
God's blessing on the arms that strike
For God and for the King.
Shall be a prayer to bring
God's blessing on the arms that strike
For God and for the King.
Good night! Again the trumpet calls;
Now be thy heart as light
As that with which we gallants ride.
God bless thee, dear. Good night!
Now be thy heart as light
As that with which we gallants ride.
God bless thee, dear. Good night!
1897.
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