WE crown-d the hard-won heights at length,
Baptiz-d in flame and fire;
We saw the foeman-s sullen strength,
That grimly made retire-
Saw close at hand, then saw more far
Beneath the battle-smoke
The ridges of his shatter-d war,
That broke and ever broke.
But one, an English household-s pride,
Dear many ways to me,
Who climb-d that death-path by my side,
I sought, but could not see.
Last seen, what time our foremost rank
That iron tempest tore;
He touch-d, he scal-d the rampart bank-
Seen then, and seen no more.
One friend to aid, I measur-d back
With him that pathway dread;
No fear to wander from our track-
Its waymarks English dead.
Light thicken-d: but our search was crown-d,
As we too well divin-d;
And after briefest quest we found
What we most fear-d to find.
His bosom with one death-shot riven,
The warrior-boy lay low;
His face was turn-d unto the heaven,
His feet unto the foe.
As he had fallen upon the plain,
Inviolate he lay;
No ruffian spoiler-s hand profane
Had touch-d that noble clay.
And precious things he still retain-d,
Which, by one distant hearth,
Lov-d tokens of the lov-d, had gain-d
A worth beyond all worth.
I treasur-d these for them who yet
Knew not their mighty wo;
I softly seal-d his eyes, and set
One kiss upon his brow.
A decent grave we scoop-d him, where
Less thickly lay the dead,
And decently compos-d him there
Within that narrow bed.
O theme for manhood-s bitter tears:
The beauty and the bloom
Of less than twenty summer years
Shut in that darksome tomb!
Of soldier-sire the soldier-son;
Life-s honor-d eventide
One lives to close in England, one
In maiden battle died:
And they, that should have been the mourn-d,
The mourners- parts obtain:
Such thoughts were ours, as we return-d
To earth its earth again.
Brief words we read of faith and prayer
Beside that hasty grave;
Then turn-d away, and left him there,
The gentle and the brave:
I calling back with thankful heart,
With thoughts to peace allied,
Hours when we two had knelt apart
Upon the lone hillside;
And, comforted, I prais-d the grace
Which him had led to be
An early seeker of that Face
Which he should early see.
After The Battle
Richard Chenevix Trench
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Poem topics: away, beauty, brave, faith, fire, friend, heart, heaven, kiss, life, light, noble, peace, pride, son, strength, summer, time, war, dear, Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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