Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE SLAIN (IN THE BOER WAR) by WILLIAM WATSON

Poet Analysis

First Line: PARTNERS IN SILENCE, MATES IN NOTELESS DOOM
Last Line: AND COLD ADJUDICATION OF THE DUST.
Subject(s): BOER WAR; DEATH; SOUTH AFRICAN WAR; DEAD, THE;
PARTNERS in silence, mates in noteless doom,
Peers in oblivion's commonalty merged;
Unto like deeds by differing mandates urged,
And equalled in the unrespective tomb;
Leal or perfidious, cruel or ruthful, whom
Precipitate fate hath of your frailties purged;
Whom duly the impartial winds have dirged,
In autumn or the glorying vernal bloom:
Already is your strife become as nought;
Idle the bullet's flight, the bayonet's thrust,
The senseless cannon's dull, unmeaning word;
Idle your feud; and all for which ye fought
To this arbitrament of loam referred,
And cold adjudication of the dust.



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