<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Battle of Liège</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Now</span> spake the Emperor to all his shining battle forces,</p><p class="line">To the Lancers, and the Rifles, to the Gunners and the Horses; --</p><p class="line">And his pride surged up within him as he saw their banners stream! --</p><p class="line">"'T is a twelve-day march to Paris, by the road our fathers travelled,</p><p class="line">And the prize is half an empire when the scarlet road's unravelled --</p><p class="line">Go you now across the border,</p><p class="line">God's decree and William's order --</p><p class="line">Climb the frowning Belgian ridges</p><p class="line">With your naked swords agleam!</p><p class="line">Seize the City of the Bridges --</p><p class="line">Then get on, get on to Paris --</p><p class="line">To the jewelled streets of Paris --</p><p class="line">To the lovely woman, Paris, that has driven me to dream!"</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">A hundred thousand fighting men</p><p class="line">They climbed the frowning ridges,</p><p class="line">With their flaming swords drawn free</p><p class="line">And their pennants at their knee.</p><p class="line">They went up to their desire,</p><p class="line">To the City of the Bridges,</p><p class="line">With their naked brands outdrawn</p><p class="line">Like the lances of the dawn!</p><p class="line">In a swelling surf of fire,</p><p class="line">Crawling higher -- higher -- higher --</p><p class="line">Till they crumpled up and died</p><p class="line">Like a sudden wasted tide,</p><p class="line">And the thunder in their faces beat them down and flung them wide!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">They had paid a thousand men,</p><p class="line">Yet they formed and came again,</p><p class="line">For they heard the silver bugles sounding challenge to their pride,</p><p class="line">And they rode with swords agleam</p><p class="line">For the glory of a dream,</p><p class="line">And they stormed up to the cannon's mouth and withered there, and died....</p><p class="line">The daylight lay in ashes</p><p class="line">On the blackened western hill,</p><p class="line">And the dead were calm and still;</p><p class="line">But the Night was torn with gashes --</p><p class="line">Sudden ragged crimson gashes --</p><p class="line">And the siege-guns snarled and roared,</p><p class="line">With their flames thrust like a sword,</p><p class="line">And the tranquil moon came riding on the heaven's silver ford.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">What a fearful world was there,</p><p class="line">Tangled in the cold moon's hair!</p><p class="line">Man and beast lay hurt and screaming,</p><p class="line">(Men must die when Kings are dreaming!) --</p><p class="line">While within the harried town</p><p class="line">Mothers dragged their children down</p><p class="line">As the awful rain came screaming,</p><p class="line">For the glory of a Crown!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">So the Morning flung her cloak</p><p class="line">Through the hanging pall of smoke</p><p class="line">Trimmed with red, it was, and dripping with a deep and angry stain!</p><p class="line">And the Day came walking then</p><p class="line">Through a lane of murdered men,</p><p class="line">And her light fell down before her like a Cross upon the plain!</p><p class="line">But the forts still crowned the height</p><p class="line">With a bitter iron crown!</p><p class="line">They had lived to flame and fight,</p><p class="line">They had lived to keep the Town!</p><p class="line">And they poured their havoc down</p><p class="line">All that day... and all that night....</p><p class="line">While four times their number came,</p><p class="line">Pawns that played a bloody game! --</p><p class="line">With a silver trumpeting,</p><p class="line">For the glory of the King,</p><p class="line">To the barriers of the thunder and the fury of the flame!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">So they stormed the iron Hill,</p><p class="line">O'er the sleepers lying still,</p><p class="line">And their trumpets sang them forward through the dull succeeding dawns,</p><p class="line">But the thunder flung them wide,</p><p class="line">And they crumpled up and died, --</p><p class="line">They had waged the war of monarchs -- and they died the death of pawns.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But the forts still stood.... Their breath</p><p class="line">Swept the foeman like a blade,</p><p class="line">Though ten thousand men were paid</p><p class="line">To the hungry purse of Death,</p><p class="line">Though the field was wet with blood,</p><p class="line">Still the bold defences stood,</p><p class="line">Stood!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And the King came out with his bodyguard at the day's departing gleam --</p><p class="line">And the moon rode up behind the smoke and showed the King his dream.</p></div><p class="byline">Dana Burnet</p></body></html> · Great War