WE lay in the Trenches we'd dug in the Ground While Phoebus blazed down from his glory-lined Car, And then from the lips of our Leader renown'd, These lessons we learn'd in the Science of War. "Let the Foeman draw nigh, Till the white of his Eye Is in range with your Rifles, and then, Lads, let fly! And shew to Columbia, to Britain, and Fame, How Justice smiles aweful. When Freemen take aim!" The Regulars from Town to the Foot of the Hill Came in Barges and Rowboats, some great and some small, But they potter'd and dawdl'd, and twaddled, until We fear'd there would be no Attack after all! Two men in red Coats Talk'd to one in long Boots, And all of them pinted and gestur'd like Coots, And we said, -- as the Boys do upon Training-Day -- "If they waste all their Time so, the Shamfight won't pay." But when they got Ready, and All came along, The way they march'd up the Hill-side was n't slow, But we were not a-fear'd, and we welcomed 'em strong, Held our Fire till the Word, and then laid the Lads low! ... But who shall declare The End of the Affair? At Sundown there was n't a Man of us there! But we did n't depart till we'd given them Some! When we burned up our Powder, we had to Home! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A SHROPSHIRE LAD: 48 by ALFRED EDWARD HOUSMAN TWELVE SONNETS: 9. WEARINESS by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) TO SIGURD by KATHARINE LEE BATES THE WANDERER: 2. IN FRANCE: THE LAST REMONSTRANCE by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON |