O SAY not he is dead, The friend we honored so; Lift up a grateful voice instead And say: He lives, we know -- We know it by the light Of his enduring love Of honor, valor, truth and right, And man, and God above. Remember how he drew The child-heart to his own, And taught the parable anew, And reaped as he had sown; Remember with what cheer He filled the little lives, And stayed the sob and dried the tear With mirth that still survives. All duties to his kind It was his joy to fill; With nature gentle and refined, Yet dauntless soul and will, He met the trying need Of every troublous call, Yet high and clear and glad indeed He sung above it all. Ay, listen! Still we hear The patriot song, the lay Of love, the woodland note so dear -- These will not die away. Then say not he is dead, The friend we honor so, But lift a grateful voice instead, And say: He lives, we know. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TYRANNICK [TYRANNIC] LOVE: PROLOGUE by JOHN DRYDEN ULTIMA THULE: NIGHT by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW LINES; SUGGESTED BY GRAVES TWO ENGLISH SOLDIERS ON CONCORD by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL THE DIRGE [FOR FIDELE], FR. CYMBELINE by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE EASTER 1916 by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS ODE TO WORK by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS THE VILLAGE MUNITIONS CO., INC.; FORMERLY THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS |