@3"Bear me out of the battle, for lo, I am sorely wounded."@1 From out of the vast, wide bosomed West, Where gnarled old maples make array, Deep scarred from Redmen gone to rest, Where unnamed heroes hew the way For worlds to follow in their quest, Where pipes the quail, where squirrels play Through tops of trees with nuts for toy, A boy stood forth clear-eyed and tall, A timid boy, a bashful boy, Yet comely as a son of Saul -- A boy all friendless, all unknown, Yet heir apparent to a throne: A throne the proudest yet on earth For him who bears him noblest, best, And this he won by simple worth, That boy from out the wooded West. And now to fall! Pale-browed and prone He lies in everlasting rest. The nations clasp the cold, dead hand; The nations sob aloud at this; The only dry eyes in the land Now at the last we know are his; While she who sends a wreath has won More conquests than her hosts had done. Brave heart, farewell. The wheel has run Full circle, and behold a grave Beneath thy loved old trees is done. The druid oaks look up and wave A solemn beckon back. The brave Old maples welcome, every one. Receive him, earth. In center land, As in the center of each heart, As in the hollow of God's hand, The coffin sinks. And we depart Each on his way, as God deems best To do, and so deserve to rest. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...NIGHT AND DAY: 4 by ISAAC ROSENBERG MEETING AT NIGHT by ROBERT BROWNING IN DISPRAISE OF THE MOON by MARY ELIZABETH COLERIDGE REJECTED ADDRESSES: THE BABY'S DEBUT, BY W. W. by JAMES SMITH (1775-1839) JOHN THE BAPTIST by JOHN STUART BLACKIE SALOME by HARRIET GRAY BLACKWELL |