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1914
HE passed in the very battle-smoke | |
| Of the war that he had descried. | |
| Three hundred mile of cannon spoke | |
| When the Master-Gunner died. | |
| |
| He passed to the very sound of the guns; | 5 |
| But, before his eye grew dim, | |
| He had seen the faces of the sons | |
| Whose sires had served with him. | |
| |
| He had touched their sword-hilts and greeted each | |
| With the old sure word of praise; | 10 |
| And there was virtue in touch and speech | |
| As it had been in old days. | |
| |
| So he dismissed them and took his rest, | |
| And the steadfast spirit went forth | |
| Between the adoring East and West | 15 |
| And the tireless guns of the North. | |
| |
| Clean, simple, valiant, well-beloved, | |
| Flawless in faith and fame, | |
| Whom neither ease nor honours moved | |
| An hair’s-breadth from his aim. | 20 |
| |
| Never again the war-wise face, | |
| The weighed and urgent word | |
| That pleaded in the market-place— | |
| Pleaded and was not heard! | |
| |
| Yet from his life a new life springs | 25 |
| Through all the hosts to come, | |
| And Glory is the least of things | |
| That follow this man home. | |
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