Ballads of the Fleet and Other Poems A New Edition With several Additional Pieces: By Rennell Rodd |
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PUMWANI |
 | Ballads of the Fleet and Other Poems |  |
128
PUMWANI
Comrades mine of Blanche and Swallow scattered now a hundred ways,
Such a march we made together, once in torrid August days!
Such a march we made together, once in torrid August days!
Up the mangrove creeks we laboured, where the crooked roots divide,
Clutching fast the shoaling mud-banks and encroaching on the tide;
Clutching fast the shoaling mud-banks and encroaching on the tide;
Gaunt and hideous rose the baobabs with their bloated stems and bare,
And their gray arms stretching naked to the rank and steamy air;
And their gray arms stretching naked to the rank and steamy air;
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There we slept beneath the mangoes on forsaken village sites,
And drank in the cool refreshment of the wind-swept tropic nights,
And drank in the cool refreshment of the wind-swept tropic nights,
Till at last the word was forward! and a noiseless camp awoke,
And the line fell into order ere the blush of morning broke.
And the line fell into order ere the blush of morning broke.
Faint our track wound through the clearings, with their rank grass shoulder high,
Right and left the dense black forest walling in a tropic sky;
Right and left the dense black forest walling in a tropic sky;
Where the gum-vine binds the branches and the fiercely fecund soil
Bars the way to human ingress, tightens tangles into coil.
Bars the way to human ingress, tightens tangles into coil.
The thorn palm took fantastic shapes and drooped a withered skirt,
The vultures rose into the blue to give the woods alert.
The vultures rose into the blue to give the woods alert.
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Each followed close on his fellow's steps in the single serpent file,—
Like the gray baboons at the forest edge,—and the line reached half a mile.
Like the gray baboons at the forest edge,—and the line reached half a mile.
The black marsh water splashed our knees, the ooze sucked down our boots,
The slimy mud-fish wriggled off and hid in the tangled roots.
The slimy mud-fish wriggled off and hid in the tangled roots.
And every man held back his breath of all three hundred men,
For the dropping shots gave warning we were near the robber den.
For the dropping shots gave warning we were near the robber den.
Then a bugle broke the stillness of that forest edged with eyes,
Then a wild uproar of drumming and a thunder to the skies;
Then a wild uproar of drumming and a thunder to the skies;
Tongues of flame and battle rattle, puffs of smoke along the green,
Silent pauses in the volleys, and the foe we fought unseen:
Silent pauses in the volleys, and the foe we fought unseen:
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Yet our little line drew closer, creeping on by slow degrees,
While the rockets like winged dragons ploughed a fire track through the trees.
While the rockets like winged dragons ploughed a fire track through the trees.
And the minutes passed like hours, and the burning sun beat down,
Till ere noon drank up the shadows we were in the rebel town.
Till ere noon drank up the shadows we were in the rebel town.
Once again the heart beat lightly and a sense of triumph grew,
For the fort was well defended and great gaps were in our few.
For the fort was well defended and great gaps were in our few.
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Swiftly fell the tropic evening, and, while camp fires flickered red,
Softly we drew off on one side and we gathered up our dead;—
Softly we drew off on one side and we gathered up our dead;—
By a lantern's feeble flicker read the words with which we trust
This our brother to God's keeping, this his body to the dust.
This our brother to God's keeping, this his body to the dust.
Dug a trench for you to lie in, you whose home was on the wave,
You, the white man with the dark men, your bedfellows in the grave,
You, the white man with the dark men, your bedfellows in the grave,
White and black both dead for England, with the grass mats round your heads,—
As we turned and left them lying in their solitary beds.
As we turned and left them lying in their solitary beds.
So world over sleep the English, eyes of friends will never look
Through that gloom of Afric forest where we buried stoker Cook.
Through that gloom of Afric forest where we buried stoker Cook.
Only gray baboons will chatter in the branches where you lie,
And the quick hyena scamper through the tangle silently;
And the quick hyena scamper through the tangle silently;
Yet such meed of due remembrance I would yield you as I may,
Since you gave your life for England—have her greatest more to say?
Since you gave your life for England—have her greatest more to say?
Since last night we slept together, 'twixt the grasses and the star,
And to-night you sleep for ever by the bitter chance of war.
And to-night you sleep for ever by the bitter chance of war.
But the camp was quick with laughter, for the blood was beating high,—
Laugh out!—life is for the living, for the dead at most a sigh.
Laugh out!—life is for the living, for the dead at most a sigh.
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And the men whose hearts are boys' hearts set the lanterns in a ring,
And the battle dawn's reaction made the peace of evening sing.
And the battle dawn's reaction made the peace of evening sing.
So the old sea-songs came rolling till the chorus shook the trees,
And the tropic stars looked wondering at the men from over seas.
And the tropic stars looked wondering at the men from over seas.
Then the hand-shake and the silence, and brief sleep for those who may.
Let to-morrow take its chances, we have lived our lives to-day.
Let to-morrow take its chances, we have lived our lives to-day.
East Africa, 1893.
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