Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE MESSAGE OF VICTORY, by AUGUSTA DAVIES WEBSTER



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE MESSAGE OF VICTORY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: News to the king, good news for all!'
Last Line: And the dying lie with the dead.
Alternate Author Name(s): Home, Cecil; Webster, Mrs. Julia Augusta
Variant Title(s): Song (4)
Subject(s): History; Victory; War; Historians


"NEWS to the king, good news for all!"
The corn is trodden, the river runs red.
"News of the battle," the heralds call,
"We have won the field; we have taken the town,
We have beaten the rebels and crushed them down."
And the dying lie with the dead.

"Who was my bravest?" quoth the king.
The corn is trodden, the river runs red.
"Whom shall I honor for this great thing?"
"Threescore were best, where none was worst;
But Walter Wendulph was aye the first."
And the dying lie with the dead.

"What of my husband?" quoth the bride.
The corn is trodden, the river is red.
"Comes he to-morrow? how long will he bide?"
"Put off thy bride-gear, busk thee in black;
Walter Wendulph will never come back."
And the dying lie with the dead.





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