Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IX. Tragedy: Humor. 1904. | | | | Poems of Tragedy: VIII. France | | Before Sedan | | Henry Austin Dobson (1840–1921) |
| | | | “The dead hand clasped a letter.” |
| —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. |
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HERE in this leafy place, | |
| Quiet he lies, | |
| Cold, with his sightless face | |
| Turned to the skies; | |
| ’T is but another dead;— | 5 |
| All you can say is said. | |
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| Carry his body hence,— | |
| Kings must have slaves; | |
| Kings climb to eminence | |
| Over men’s graves. | 10 |
| So this man’s eye is dim;— | |
| Throw the earth over him. | |
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| What was the white you touched, | |
| There at his side? | |
| Paper his hand had clutched | 15 |
| Tight ere he died; | |
| Message or wish, may be:— | |
| Smooth out the folds and see. | |
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| Hardly the worst of us | |
| Here could have smiled!— | 20 |
| Only the tremulous | |
| Words of a child:— | |
| Prattle, that had for stops | |
| Just a few ruddy drops. | |
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| Look. She is sad to miss, | 25 |
| Morning and night, | |
| His—her dead father’s—kiss, | |
| Tries to be bright, | |
| Good to mamma, and sweet. | |
| That is all. “Marguerite.” | 30 |
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| Ah, if beside the dead | |
| Slumbered the pain! | |
| Ah, if the hearts that bled | |
| Slept with the slain! | |
| If the grief died!—But no:— | 35 |
| Death will not have it so. | | | |
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