Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE BLOOD-STAINED CROSS, by MARY CAROLYN DAVIES


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE BLOOD-STAINED CROSS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A black cross and a bloody
Last Line: And youth. War slew them utterly.
Alternate Author Name(s): Davis, Leland, Mrs.; Pawtuxie
Subject(s): Death; Soldiers; Dead, The


A black cross and a bloody
With a small Christ on a tree
A black cross and a bloody
From a dead man's rosary,
To count no Ave Marys
To say no prayers by rote
A black cross and a bloody
I wear upon my throat;

A black cross and a bloody
I wear upon a chain
To keep in this my body
Still, still, his body's pain;
A black cross and a bloody
To let me not again
Sleep satisfied or calm until
A murderer be slain.

Blackcrusted blood makes holy
The black cross at my throat.
And to the Christ upon it
I say no prayers by rote;
Kind prayers I have forgotten,
The little prayers of peace --
Until a death be compassed
I have no time for these.

The young dead man had stiffened
His fingers held from harm
In wooden clasp the cross that now
Upon my throat is warm
About him fell my kinsmen;
The foe they could not stem;
And since I have no token
I keep this cross for them.

Until his death be compassed
Who slew my kin, I keep
The little cross upon me
To tell me, in my sleep,
Even in dreams to strengthen
My arm to join my blow
With others to bring death to him
Who laid my kinsman low.

I wear the black cross that has been
In a dead man's hands. I dedicate
My life, my power, my strength, my hate
To this: For what his deeds have been
To slay the one who slew my kin.
Beauty and joy are kin to me
And youth. War slew them utterly.





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