"WHAT is Life, father?" "A Battle, my child, Where the strongest lance may fail, Where the wariest eyes may be beguiled, And the stoutest heart may quail. Where the foes are gathered on every hand, And rest not day or night, And the feeble little ones must stand In the thickest of the fight." "What is Death, father?" "The rest, my child, When the strife and toil are o'er; The angel of God, who, calm and mild, Says we need fight no more; Who, driving away the demon band, Bids the din of the battle cease; Takes banner and spear from our failing hand, And proclaims an eternal peace." "Let me die, father! I tremble, and fear To yield in that terrible strife!" "The crown must be won for Heaven, dear, In the battle-field of life; My child, though thy foes are strong and tried, He loveth the weak and small; The angels of heaven are on thy side, And God is over all!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CHRISMUS IS A-COMIN' by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR ESTONIAN BRIDAL SONG by JOHANN GOTTFRIED VON HERDER WINTER WITH THE GULF STREAM by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS THE POOR FARMER'S OFFERING by APOLLONIDES QUATORZAINS: 1. TO PERFUME by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES QUATORZAINS: 8. TO SILENCE by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES IDYLL 6. CLEODAMUS AND MYRSON by BION ASPIRATIONS: 10 by MATHILDE BLIND TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 4. WHO BUT THE LOVER SHOULD KNOW by EDWARD CARPENTER |