THE bold Marine comes back from war, So kind: The bold Marine comes back from war, So kind: With a raggety coat and a worn-out shoe. 'Now, poor Marine, say, whence come you, All so kind?' 'I travel back from the war, madame, So kind: I travel back from the war, madame, So kind: For a glass of wine and a bowl of whey, 'Tis I will sing you a ballad gay, All so kind.' The bold Marine he sips his whey, So kind: He sips and he sings his ballad gay, So kind: But the dame she turns toward the wall, To wipe her tears that fall and fall, All so kind. 'What aileth you at my song, madame, So kind? I hope that I sing no wrong, madame, So kind? Or grieves it you a beggar should dine On a bowl of whey and the good white wine, All so kind?' 'It ails me not at your ballad gay, So kind: It ails me not for the wine and whey, So kind: But it ails me sore for the voice and eyes Of a good man long in Paradise.— Ah, so kind!' 'You have fair children five, madame, So kind: You have fair children five, madame, So kind: Your good man left you children three; Whence came these twain for company, All so kind?' 'A letter came from the war, Marine, So kind: A letter came from the war, Marine, So kind: A while I wept for the good man dead, But another good man in a while I wed, All so kind.' The bold Marine he drained his glass, So kind: The bold Marine he drained his glass, So kind. He said not a word, though the tears they flowed, But back to his regiment took the road, All so kind. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GRAMERCY PARK by SARA TEASDALE THE DESERTED PLANTATION by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR AT THE CANNON'S MOUTH by HERMAN MELVILLE THE MASK OF ANARCHY; WRITTEN ON OCCASION OF MASSACRE AT MANCHESTER by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY |