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THE HOME-COMING.
Soldiers which have this stubborn war achieved,
Return with glory now in hundred ships.
Speed, Oh fair winds of heaven! their homeward voyage!
Lie low before their keels proud ocean waves.
And ye which rule the immense machines spur on
These mighty hulls to land of distant Britain.
Return with glory now in hundred ships.
Speed, Oh fair winds of heaven! their homeward voyage!
Lie low before their keels proud ocean waves.
And ye which rule the immense machines spur on
These mighty hulls to land of distant Britain.
Remember, Comrades, when from England's shores,
With merry music and glad people's voice,
We parted; and what joy in all our hearts,
Which called were to see service! How we sailed
Then forth in deep blue rolling liquid paths
Far from world's coast, by vast sea wilderness,
Where day by day suspended seemed our ship,
Nor appeared way, nor any human work,
Nor voice. Yet saw we, ere our souls were weary,
Before us loom, at end, of Afric's land.
Land of this warfare; where then we disbarked,
With shining arms, beheld much new and strange;
Grown since well wont to us warfaring soldiers.
With merry music and glad people's voice,
We parted; and what joy in all our hearts,
Which called were to see service! How we sailed
Then forth in deep blue rolling liquid paths
Far from world's coast, by vast sea wilderness,
Where day by day suspended seemed our ship,
Nor appeared way, nor any human work,
Nor voice. Yet saw we, ere our souls were weary,
Before us loom, at end, of Afric's land.
Land of this warfare; where then we disbarked,
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Grown since well wont to us warfaring soldiers.
And were we come, deliver, in far coast,
Our brethren from those brutish enemies,
That liberty, ah! called their license to oppress.
Our brethren from those brutish enemies,
That liberty, ah! called their license to oppress.
Comrades homebound, when we again take land,
In every town wherethrough we marching pass,
Shall holiday be, with pealing bells, proclaimed;
Glad multitudes shall acclaim, with infinite throats,
The Queen's returning soldiers in their streets.
In every town wherethrough we marching pass,
Shall holiday be, with pealing bells, proclaimed;
Glad multitudes shall acclaim, with infinite throats,
The Queen's returning soldiers in their streets.
They to high heaven loud welcome! joyful shout,
Stretching with kind familiar looks to us,
Right hands. And who can touch a soldier's cloak,
Shall count it honour. Mothers shall uplift
(Midst joyous cries of these) their little ones,
With happy tears; and still they bid them gaze,
On the Queen's sun-browned soldiers from the wars.
Stretching with kind familiar looks to us,
Right hands. And who can touch a soldier's cloak,
Shall count it honour. Mothers shall uplift
(Midst joyous cries of these) their little ones,
With happy tears; and still they bid them gaze,
On the Queen's sun-browned soldiers from the wars.
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The citizens music plays us through their town,
And when this night falls will they light the skies
With shooting lamps and starry works of fire.
And when this night falls will they light the skies
With shooting lamps and starry works of fire.
Women, who mothers, smile, who promised maids,
With sweet looks wave to us those true white hands,
Which for us manifold gifts wrought in this war,
And sing they all together with glad voice,
“Are come again the soldiers of the Queen,
“Welcome, brave remnant of them which marched down,
“With prayers of the whole Nation to the ships!”
With sweet looks wave to us those true white hands,
Which for us manifold gifts wrought in this war,
And sing they all together with glad voice,
“Are come again the soldiers of the Queen,
“Welcome, brave remnant of them which marched down,
“With prayers of the whole Nation to the ships!”
Now is there signal made, we re-embark,—
Afric farewell! the bugle calls to ship,
Our service done in many glorious fields,
Lie ploughed with iron and sowed with leaden shot.
Silent, but not forsaken, where we leave
Our comrades graves. Sacred be and adorned
That churlish earth, which must them hold henceforth,
By hands of grateful ages yet to live.
Afric farewell! the bugle calls to ship,
Our service done in many glorious fields,
Lie ploughed with iron and sowed with leaden shot.
Silent, but not forsaken, where we leave
Our comrades graves. Sacred be and adorned
That churlish earth, which must them hold henceforth,
By hands of grateful ages yet to live.
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Lie low, ye waves! Speed, Heaven, these gallant ships
Bear to the Mother Land her warworn soldiers!
Britain's returning army shall receive
A Nation's praise for all their pains forepast.
Bear to the Mother Land her warworn soldiers!
Britain's returning army shall receive
A Nation's praise for all their pains forepast.
Behold Her who rules in all Britons' hearts,
A Mother to her People, in her state
Through London, welcomed rides, to yond green place,
Where marshalled Afric's armies her await.
Are foot and horse and voluntary soldiers
Who ventured their young lives alike to death.
A Mother to her People, in her state
Through London, welcomed rides, to yond green place,
Where marshalled Afric's armies her await.
Are foot and horse and voluntary soldiers
Who ventured their young lives alike to death.
One meed of valour shines on all your breasts;
Ride your great Captains round about the Queen.
And with her stand the Nation's Parliament.
From the Empress-Queen's august wise-aged lips,
Hark! proceed thanks, that so beyond the seas
Have well done their endeavour Britain's soldiers.
—Her words resound an infinite people's voice!
Ride your great Captains round about the Queen.
And with her stand the Nation's Parliament.
From the Empress-Queen's august wise-aged lips,
Hark! proceed thanks, that so beyond the seas
Have well done their endeavour Britain's soldiers.
—Her words resound an infinite people's voice!
Speed heaven! to Britain's shores these mighty prows:
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