OUR birches yellowing and from each The light leaf falling fast, While squirrels from our fiery beech Were bearing off the mast, You came, and look'd and loved the view Long-known and loved by me, Green Sussex fading into blue With one gray glimpse of sea; And, gazing from this height alone, We spoke of what had been Most marvellous in the wars your own Crimean eyes had seen; And now -- like old-world inns that take Some warrior for a sign That therewithin a guest may make True cheer with honest wine -- Because you heard the lines I read Nor utter'd word of blame, I dare without your leave to head These rhymings with your name, Who know you but as one of those I fain would meet again, Yet know you, as your England knows That you and all your men Were soldiers to her heart's desire, When, in the vanish'd year, You saw the league-long rampart-fire Flare from Tel-el-Kebir Thro' darkness, and the foe was driven, And Wolseley overthrew Arabi, and the stars in heaven Paled, and the glory grew. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WILL OF GOD by FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER ON EXPLORATION by JAMES GALVIN SATIRES OF CIRCUMSTANCE: 14. OVER THE COFFIN by THOMAS HARDY ODES: BOOK 1: ODE 18. TO THE HON. FRANCIS EARL OF HUNTINGDON by MARK AKENSIDE ON AN INTAGLIO HEAD OF MINERVA (2) by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH A DAY OF DAYS by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM |