"Home!" he said; and westward turning Looked upon the setting sun. "Heed thee, child!" a sentry muttered, "Safety on the ramparts none." "Naught I fear," the boy made answer, "Battle shock nor random gun; Homeward all my heart advances; Victory's won!" In his eyes the light of morning Met the slow-declining day, Where the bow of peace expanding, Lit with hope's celestial ray -- Born of sunshine, cloud-engendered, Sorrow washed in tears away -- "Strife to holy calm surrenders," Seemed to say. Fair he stood, as in a vision; When, with sudden cry of dread, Forward sprang each sturdy comrade To support the fallen head -- Swift a thirsty flash, unerring, To the font of life had sped! Calm he lay. We bent above him, "Home he goeth," some one said. With the dew our tears were falling O'er the dead. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TIME AND THE PERFUME RIVER by KAREN SWENSON CHILD'S EVENING HYMN by SABINE BARING-GOULD JOHN KEATS (1) by GEORGE GORDON BYRON ODE TO FEAR by WILLIAM COLLINS (1721-1759) THE SAILOR TO HIS PARROT by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES DOROTHY Q; A FAMILY PORTRAIT by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES |