And when upon the conquered height | One feels that thumping of the heart Died out the battle's hum, Vainly mid living and the dead To win that day had come. And then the dusk and dew of night Fell softly o'er the plain, As though o'er man's dread work of death The angels wept again, And drew night's curtain gently round A thousand beds of pain. All night the surgeons' torches went, At last the morning broke. The lark Sang in the merry skies, As no prompt voice replies. And as in faltering tone and slow Bay Billy's name he read. Yes! there the old bay hero stood, Not all the shoulder-straps on earth The whole line answered,"Here!" RICHARD WATSON GILDER. THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER | By iron, and to heaven laid bare: THE SUN. THERE is nothing new under the sun; There is no new hope or despair; The agony just begun Is as old as the earth and the air. My secret soul of bliss Is one with the singing star's, I know as I know my life, He shook the seed that he carried When lightnings interlace The sky and the earth, and his wand Of love is a thunder flail. Thus did that sower sow; His seed was human blood, And tears of women and men. And I, who near him stood, Said: When the crop comes, then There will be sobbing and sighing, Weeping and wailing and crying, Flame and ashes and woe. It was an autumn day Hears the same prayer over and When next I went that way. over. I know it because at the portal My praise thou hast made my blame; But scarce my prayer was said My cheek, shame-sinitten, burned; For there where I bowed down In my boastful agony, I thought of thy cross and crown,O Christ! I remembered thee. THE SOWER. A SOWER went forth to sow, He crushed the flowers beneath his feet, [sweet, Nor smelt the perfume warm and That prayed for pity everywhere. He came to a field that was harried And what, think you, did I see? Of all those voices not any Thou in the virgin morning of thy days Hast felt the bitter waters o'er thee roll. Yet thou knowest, too, the terrible delight, Nor loss of faithful friends, nor any gain Of growth by grief. I would not thee restrain From needful death. But oh, thou other part The still content, and solemn Of me!-through whom the whole world I behold, As through the blue I see the stars above! In whom the world I find, hid fold on fold! Thee would I save from this - nay, do not move! Fear not, it may not flash, the air is cold; Save thee from this-the lightning of my love. |