<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Dead</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="subhead">I</p><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Blow</span> out, you bugles, over the rich Dead!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">There's none of these so lonely and poor of old,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">But, dying, has made us rarer gifts than gold.</p><p class="line">These laid the world away; poured out the red</p><p class="line">Sweet wine of youth; gave up the years to be</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Of work and joy, and that unhoped serene</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That men call age; and those who would have been,</p><p class="line">Their sons, they gave, their immortality.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Blow, bugles, blow! They brought us, for our dearth,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Holiness, lacked so long, and Love, and Pain.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Honour has come back, as a king, to earth,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:6%">And paid his subjects with a royal wage;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">And Nobleness walks in our ways again;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:6%">And we have come into our heritage.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="subhead">II</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">These hearts were woven of human joys and cares</p><p class="line">Washed marvellously with sorrow, swift to mirth.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs,</p><p class="line">And sunset, and the colours of the earth.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">These had seen movement and heard music; known</p><p class="line">Slumber and waking; loved; gone proudly friended;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Felt the quick stir of wonder; sat alone;</p><p class="line">Touched flowers and furs and cheeks. All this is ended.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">There are waters blown by changing winds to laughter</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And lit by the rich skies, all day. And after,</p><p class="line">Frost with a gesture, stays the waves that dance</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And wandering loveliness. He leaves a white</p><p class="line">Unbroken glory, a gathered radiance,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">A width, a shining peace, under the night.</p></div><p class="byline">Rupert Brooke</p></body></html> · Great War