Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume VI. Fancy. 1904. | | | | Poems of Sentiment: VI. Labor and Rest | | The Fallen | | John Vance Cheney (1848–1922) |
| | (In Memoriam, May 30)
I. TOLL the slow bell, | |
| Toll the low bell, | |
| Toll, toll, | |
| Make dole | |
| For them that wrought so well. | 5 |
| Come, come, | |
| With muffled drum | |
| And wailing lorn | |
| Of dolorous horn; | |
| The solemn measure slow | 10 |
| Toll and beat and blow; | |
| Put out all glories that adorn | |
| The sweet, unheeding morn. | |
| Come, come; | |
| To the muffled drum | 15 |
| And the sad horns | |
| Bring flowers for them that took the thorns. | |
| |
| Knell, knell; | |
| Let the slow bell | |
| Be struck and the troubled drum; | 20 |
| Come, come, | |
| The solemn measure slow | |
| Toll and beat and blow; | |
| Rebuke this bright, unpitying light. | |
| The solemn measure slow | 25 |
| Toll and beat and blow | |
| For them our beauty and our might | |
| Gone on the unreturning way, | |
| For them that took the night | |
| That we might have the day. | 30 |
| |
II. Hark! voices, joyous voices break | |
| From the green martyr-mounds: “Wake, wake! | |
| The Lord our God, once more He saith, | |
| This hand made all—it made not death. | |
| Let the blithe bells ring | 35 |
| And the May air sing; | |
| Strike the quick drum, | |
| Smite sorrow dumb; | |
| Blow the glad horn, | |
| This glad May morn; | 40 |
| Lift the valiant measures high | |
| Of the proud earth and sky | |
| For them that tent | |
| Beyond the firmament, | |
| And on the field of light | 45 |
| Still gather to the fight. | |
| |
| “Blow the glad horn, | |
| This glad May morn; | |
| Stanch, undaunted measures blow, | |
| Gathering courage as they go,— | 50 |
| Valiant measures high | |
| Carolled of earth and sky; | |
| Set the bright, triumphal stave | |
| For them that fought so well, | |
| That faltered not nor fell; | 55 |
| For them and all whereso yon colors wave, | |
| Unto the four winds given | |
| And the proud earth and heaven. | |
| There believe and battle they | |
| Whose face is toward the day, | 60 |
| The ever-living light, | |
| Where is no night, | |
| Where is no death nor shadow of the grave.” | | | | |
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