Excerpt
I.
STEADFAST as any soldier of the line
He served his England, with the imminent death
Poised at his heart. Nor could the world divine
The constant peril of each burdened breath.
England, and the honour of England, he still served
Walking the strict path, with the old high pride
Of those invincible knights who never swerved
One hair's breadth from the way until they died.
Quietness he loved, and books, and the grave beauty
Of England's Helicon, whose eternal light
Shines like a lantern on that road of duty,
Discerned by few in this chaotic night.
And his own pen, foretelling his release,
Told us that he foreknew "the end was peace."
II.Soldier of England, he shall live unsleeping
Among his friends, with the old proud flag above;
For even today her honour is in his keeping.
He has joined the hosts that guard her with their love.
They shine like stars, unnumbered happy legions,
In that high realm where all our darkness dies.
He moves, with honour, in those loftier regions,
Above this "world of passion and of lies":
For so he called it, keeping his own pure passion
A silent flame before the true and good;
Not fawning on the throng in this world's fashion
come and see what all might see who would.
Soldier of England, brave and gentle knight,
The soul of Sidney welcomes you tonight.
CONTENTS Page DEDICATION: To the Memory of Sir Cecil Spring-Rice "The Avenue of the Allies" On the Western Front Victory AMERICAN POEMS, 1912–1917 Republic and Motherland The Union Ghosts of the New World The Old Meeting House Princeton Beethoven in Central Park SONGS OF THE TRAWLERS AND SEA POEMS The People's Fleet Kilmeny Cap'n Storm-along The Big Black Trawler Namesakes Wireless Fishers of Men An Open Boat Peace in a Palace The Vindictive MISCELLANEOUS POEMS The Chimney-sweeps of Cheltenham To a Successful Man The Old Gentleman With the Amber Snuffbox What Grandfather Said Memories of the Pacific Coast Nippon The Humming Birds Lines for a Sun-dial The Realms of Gold Compensations Dead Man's Morrice The Old Fool in the Wood A New Madrigal To an Old Melody The Lost Battle Riddles of Merlin The Symphony Peace The Open Door Immortal Sails The Matin-song of Friar Tuck Five Criticisms The Companions The Little Roads Sunlight and Sea The Road Through Chaos The Night of the Lion The War Widow The Bell Slave and Emperor On a Mountain-top EARLY POEMS The Phantom Fleet Michael Oaktree TOUCHSTONE ON A BUS Touchstone on a Bus I The New Duckling II The Man Who Discovered the Use a Chair III Cotton-wool IV Fashions EPILOGUE The Reward of Song
THE NEW MORNING
THIS is the song of the wind as it came
Tossing the flags of the nations to flame:
I am the breath of God....