'T WAS near the break of day, but still The moon was shining brightly; The west wind as it passed the flowers Set each one swaying lightly; The sentry slow paced to and fro, A faithful night-watch keeping, While in the tents behind him stretched His comrades, -- all were sleeping. Slow to and fro the sentry paced, His musket on his shoulder; But not a thought of death or war Was with the brave young soldier. Ah, no! his heart was far away Where, on a Western prairie, A rose-twined cottage stood. That night The countersign was "Mary." And there his own true love he saw, Her blue eyes kindly beaming, Above them, on her sun-kissed brow, Her curls like sunshine gleaming: -- He heard her singing, as she churned The butter in the dairy, The song he loved the best. That night The countersign was "Mary." "Oh, for one kiss from her!" he sighed, When, up the lone road glancing, He spied a form, a little form, With faltering steps advancing; And as it neared him, silently He gazed at it in wonder; Then dropped his musket to his hand, And challenged, -- "Who goes yonder?" Still on it came. "Not one step more, Be you man, child, or fairy, Unless you give the countersign; Halt! who goes there!" -- "'T is Mary," A sweet voice cried, and in his arms The girl he'd left behind him Half fainting fell. O'er many miles She'd bravely toiled to find him. "I heard that you were wounded, dear," She sobbed. "My heart was breaking; I could not stay a moment, but, All other ties forsaking, I travelled, by my grief made strong, Kind Heaven watching o'er me, Until -- unhurt and well?" "Yes, love -- At last you stood before me." "They told me that I could not pass The lines to seek my lover Before day fairly came; but I Pressed on ere night was over, And, as I told my name, I found The way free as our prairie." "Because, thank God! to-night," he said, "The countersign is 'Mary.'" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BOATMAN OF KINSALE by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS MY LOVE by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL THE NIGHT COURT by RUTH COMFORT MITCHELL NOW PRECEDENT SONGS, FAREWELL by WALT WHITMAN THE DISMANTLED SHIP by WALT WHITMAN THE WORD by JOHN KENDRICK BANGS |