Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TOO LATE! DEATH OF GEN. GORDON, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TOO LATE! DEATH OF GEN. GORDON, by                    
First Line: Across the vast soudan was borne
Last Line: Will rest the load of shame
Subject(s): Death;england;heroism; "dead, The;english;heroes;heroines;


Across the vast Soudan was borne
While England bowed her head
The words which thrilled each British heart
"Our mighty Hero's dead."
With bated breath we heard that phrase
Which buries hope -- "too late!"
For honour! General Gordon lived --
For honour met his fate.

Chorus

Too late! too late to save him,
Too late! in vain we tried.
Fighting for those who loved him
A hero's death he died.
Too late! yet Gordon's story
A deathless charm imparts,
He died for England's glory,
He lives in England's hearts.

Cut off -- abandoned -- at Khartoum
Far out in the Soudan
One man against ten thousand stood;
And he an Englishman!
For near one year the whole world gazed
And praised him with one breath,
Think of it, Englishmen! and know
What's meant by Gordon's death.

Too late -- to argue now the cause
For which his blood was shed --
Too late -- to think what might have been,
Too late -- the Hero's dead,
This not the time, nor ours the task
On whom to fix the blame;
On those who left him in his need
Will rest the load of shame.




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