Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


CHARADE: 4 by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL

First Line: HURRAH FOR MERRY ENGLAND
Last Line: THE VALIANT AND THE TRIED.
Subject(s): IVANHOE;

HURRAH for merry England!
For good Saint George hurrah!
For Richard of the Lion Heart,
The noble and the gay,
Returns from long captivity,
And 'tis a festal day.

With chivalry and minstrelsy
The hours shall speed along,
Where meet the beauteous and the brave,
The gentle and strong.
(I would my @3first@1 had gazed upon
The gladly loyal throng.)

The warriors of Palestine,
Who led my @3second@1 well
When on the ranks of Saladin
Like avalanche they fell,
Now in the tournament alone
A fancied foe repel.

The Saxon serf may lay aside
His clumsy @3third,@1 I trow;
And leave it in the silent field,
With cool and sweatless brow;
For what has he to do to-day
With weary spade and plough?

But who is he, the Saxon youth,
With royal Saxon bride,
Who Saracen and Templar hath
Successfully defied?
He is my famous @3whole,@1 I ween,
The valiant and the tried.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net