The regiment has waited long, Waited for the Colonel; Dusky, patient, brave, and strong, Loyal to the Colonel; Now, the weary furlough spent, Garland the commander's tent; Now the Freedmen regiment Has received its Colonel. See him, young and quick and fair, (Ever young, the Colonel!) While the happy trumpets blare Welcome to the Colonel. See the shining of his face, And his eager, swinging pace, All the unforgotten grace Of the youthful Colonel. See the laughter in his eyes, (Ever-sprightly Colonel) Hear his greetings, merry-wise, Ready, like the Colonel. Age and pain and weakness past, Sorrow to oblivion cast, Back among his boys at last, Ah, the hero Colonel! Heavy with the loss of him, Ever-kindly Colonel, We, though eyes are sadly dim, Would not keep the Colonel. From the armies of the skies, From the light that never dies, From the Wisdom endless wise, Who would hold the Colonel? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A CLEVER WOMAN by MARY ELIZABETH COLERIDGE THE NEED OF BEING VERSED IN COUNTRY THINGS by ROBERT FROST I WOULD NOT LIVE ALWAY by WILLIAM AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG AN ALPINE DESCENT by SAMUEL ROGERS TO MY READERS by ALEXANDER ANDERSON THE STEAM-ENGINE: CANTO 7. LESSON FOR THE PROUD by T. BAKER THE HARES; A FABLE by JAMES BEATTIE |