Valentine Verses or, Lines of Truth, Love, and Virtue. By the Reverend Richard Cobbold |
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THE FIELD OF BATTLE. |
 | Valentine Verses |  |
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THE FIELD OF BATTLE.
The field of battle! Hark, what glorious sound!
The noise of cannon shakes the earth around.
The misty volumes roll along the plain
In folds of darkness. Hark! again! again!
The deep mouth'd guns begin the heavy day,
And Havoc hastens on her deadly way.
The clash of swords,—the muskets rapid flash,—
The horses prancing,—or the buildings crash,—
The heavy tread of troopers in advance
With naked sword, or glittering Polish lance.
Hark! midst the roar, the dying shrieks prevail,
The horrid curse,—the heart lamenting wail.—
The frighten'd horse with rider dash'd to earth,
With broken rein, or bursting saddle girth.
Here lie the wounded, there, the happy dead;
Here springs the victor, there, the captive led:
The sound of trumpets, or, the glorious cry
Of onward! onward! Death, or Victory!
The noise of cannon shakes the earth around.
The misty volumes roll along the plain
In folds of darkness. Hark! again! again!
The deep mouth'd guns begin the heavy day,
And Havoc hastens on her deadly way.
The clash of swords,—the muskets rapid flash,—
The horses prancing,—or the buildings crash,—
The heavy tread of troopers in advance
With naked sword, or glittering Polish lance.
Hark! midst the roar, the dying shrieks prevail,
The horrid curse,—the heart lamenting wail.—
The frighten'd horse with rider dash'd to earth,
With broken rein, or bursting saddle girth.
Here lie the wounded, there, the happy dead;
Here springs the victor, there, the captive led:
The sound of trumpets, or, the glorious cry
Of onward! onward! Death, or Victory!
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And this is glory! horrid, horrid fray!
War, death, and devastation make their way,
And mortals vanish, as a dream of night,
Dispelled and scattered by the morning light.
If this be glory, quickly must it pass,
Fade like a leaf, or wither as the grass.
War, death, and devastation make their way,
And mortals vanish, as a dream of night,
Dispelled and scattered by the morning light.
If this be glory, quickly must it pass,
Fade like a leaf, or wither as the grass.
But Love is Glory; better, better far,
Than all the visions of successful war.
True Love is Liberty; ah! when will cease
The thirst of conquest? when be lasting Peace?
O quickly come, ye days, when Christians prove,
The field of Battle is the field of Love.
Than all the visions of successful war.
True Love is Liberty; ah! when will cease
The thirst of conquest? when be lasting Peace?
O quickly come, ye days, when Christians prove,
The field of Battle is the field of Love.
| Valentine Verses | |