Ballads of the Fleet and Other Poems A New Edition With several Additional Pieces: By Rennell Rodd |
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TENNYSON
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 | Ballads of the Fleet and Other Poems |  |
142
TENNYSON
Into the silent Abbey, to the heroes' burying-place,
Bear him and leave him lying, peer with the peers of his race!
Bear him and leave him lying, peer with the peers of his race!
With the men of debate and battle, the mighty of heart or of brain,
Warders of Empire's outposts, home with their own again:—
Warders of Empire's outposts, home with their own again:—
Fitting is their death-welcome—the masks of his great compeers
Wrapt in the trance of silence—fitter for him than tears.
Wrapt in the trance of silence—fitter for him than tears.
Never a sigh escort him, he has lived the tale of his days,
His burial-wreath is the laurel, his dirge is a nation's praise.
His burial-wreath is the laurel, his dirge is a nation's praise.
Why do we call him hero? Why do we bury him here?
Why are all England's greatest gathered about his bier?
Why are all England's greatest gathered about his bier?
Wandering sons she hath many, erring and loved no less
But this was the son of her heart, and his strength was his faithfulness.
But this was the son of her heart, and his strength was his faithfulness.
Singer of England's saga, back to the misty prime,
Rolling a morning glamour over the night of time;
Rolling a morning glamour over the night of time;
Singer of English gardens, poet of English springs
Lover of earth's dear beauty, and all elemental things.
Lover of earth's dear beauty, and all elemental things.
Never a girl in England, or in England over the sea,
But wakes to her life's first love-dream sweetlier-souled for thee.
But wakes to her life's first love-dream sweetlier-souled for thee.
143
Never a boy's young life-blood thirsts for the dawn of deeds,
But it throbs to a nobler impulse as he turns thy roll and reads.
But it throbs to a nobler impulse as he turns thy roll and reads.
That was his lofty level, all that is hard and high,
All that is purely purposed, theme of his minstrelsy:
All that is purely purposed, theme of his minstrelsy:
Never for easy guerdon—the goodliest gift disgraced—
Flinging a tainted poison down to a morbid taste:
Flinging a tainted poison down to a morbid taste:
Never a doubt or shadow cast on a virgin soul,
But love in a pure white garment, and faith in an aureole;
But love in a pure white garment, and faith in an aureole;
Lending the mute thought language, flame to the waning fire,
A voice for the dream of the simple, a song for the world's desire.
A voice for the dream of the simple, a song for the world's desire.
For his heart was the heart of a child, and of such since time began
Are those the Eternal uses to speak to the heart of man.
Are those the Eternal uses to speak to the heart of man.
| Ballads of the Fleet and Other Poems | |