Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: A REQUIEM A Ship, with crowded sails the last gleam dies on, Through gloaming of a great age bears thy soul, After the sun, beyond our life's horizon, While sad thoughts toll, Like far-off bells, across the darkening waters, Wrinkled beneath slow sighs, that stir their face, Faint tribute of a Race, Who mourn thee, laurel-crowned among their daughters. Men who bled for England years ago Wove that laurel garland from their bays, Eager that home-dwelling hearts should know Who must wear the honour, share the praise. Not alone, they felt, was glory won Where the carnage reddened and the smoke Hid from dying eyes the careless sun, Blurred the breaking line that never broke. But where shattered bodies fought for breath Worn with white-hot fever, aching cramp, Thou wast searching out the spies of Death, Piercing shameful darkness with thy lamp, Mending cruel blunders, making straight Crooked ways, and setting right the wrong ; Careless of the fools who thwart and hate, Womanly,—but calm, and stern, and strong. Then, when gave place that outward clash and thunder, By men called war, to subtler forms of strife,— Eternal, cosmic combat, raging under The cloak of peace,—thou didst not ask of life A pensioner's indulgence, but went forward, Broken and worn, but dauntless, in the van Of Hope's wave-tossed Armada, bearing shoreward Dreams to deliver Man. Till death unconquered, them didst hold The fort of life, through long, brave years Of power and wisdom never cold, Of scorn for sentimental tears, And proud oblivion for all fears. With thee survived, to shame our day, Some noble fashions ;—thou didst give Example of a worthier way Than theirs, now cheaply crowned, who live Decked in a splendour fugitive. ... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.