<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Ares, God of War</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">UNDER the stars the armies lie asleep: </p><p class="line">Between the lines a quiet river flows </p><p class="line">Through brakes of honeysuckle, and of rose, </p><p class="line">And fields where poppies droop in languor deep: </p><p class="line">The night as with a mantle now enfolds </p><p class="line">The muffled forms upon the pasture low; </p><p class="line">The scent of thyme comes down across the wolds, </p><p class="line">And on the roses of the dark hedgerow </p><p class="line">The summer starlight falls in flakes of silver snow.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Here, from the wooded haunt of nymph and fawn, </p><p class="line">The hidden guns peer forth across the hills, </p><p class="line">Their wheels are on the trampled daffodils, </p><p class="line">And so they wait the coming of the dawn. </p><p class="line">In dappled shadows, where the fairy weaves </p><p class="line">On grasses tall his web of sparkling lace, </p><p class="line">The gunners lie, their heads upon the sheaves: </p><p class="line">White falls the moon on many a sunburnt face, </p><p class="line">That ere the day shall feel another God's embrace.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Among the barrows of the sunken plain,</p><p class="line">Where sleep the soldiers of another day,</p><p class="line">On misty meadow and on upland gray,</p><p class="line">On many eyes, that close but once again,</p><p class="line">The peaceful earth her benediction throws,</p><p class="line">The waves of healing music from the streams,</p><p class="line">That though the willows softly comes, and goes ;</p><p class="line">And now the face of all the country seems</p><p class="line">A mirror consecrated to an army's dreams.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">From far away is borne a woman's pray'r</p><p class="line">To Ares, restless in his iron crown :</p><p class="line">"Sleep, Ares, Sleep ! For, once the dice are thrown,</p><p class="line">Empires to thee are leaves upon the air !</p><p class="line">Ere all the homes go smoking to the skies,</p><p class="line">And men are swept upon the battle-blast,</p><p class="line">Ere all the tears are wept from women's eyes,</p><p class="line">O Queen of Love, hold now the Lover fast,</p><p class="line">And let him taste eternal anodyne at last !"</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">But with the dawn there comes a soldier's song:</p><p class="line">"When all the guns have fired their last salute,</p><p class="line">And the tongues of all the world are mute,</p><p class="line">And life is dearer than to right a wrong,</p><p class="line">Then may he weary of his burnng wine,</p><p class="line">And rest forever in the arms divine</p><p class="line">Of Aphrodite passionate and pale-</p><p class="line">But Hark ! He comes ! Hail, Ares ! Lord of Thunder, Hail !</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">"He rides above the ocean and the snow,</p><p class="line">His trail is on the curtain of the skies :</p><p class="line">Brighter than dawn, his young eternal eyes</p><p class="line">Shine in the eyes of Valour far below :</p><p class="line">Now Mammon hides beneath his trembling halls,</p><p class="line">While Honour marches singing into war ;</p><p class="line">On strange forgotten hearts a radiance falls,</p><p class="line">As ever nearer, burning from afar,</p><p class="line">The sword of Ares gleams above the morning star."</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">"The other gods are weaker ; thou alone</p><p class="line">Dost break the king and bend the emperor's knee:</p><p class="line">Lower than unto Christ they bow to thee,</p><p class="line">Lord of the slave, and guardian of the free,</p><p class="line">Steel-hearted Ares, shaker of the throne ;</p><p class="line">Young god of battle, restless lover, hail !</p><p class="line">For, once a man has seen thine eyes aflame, </p><p class="line">And mounted on the horses of the gale,</p><p class="line">Death is a nothing, life an empty name:</p><p class="line">Arise and lead us ere our blood be tame, </p><p class="line">O lord of thunder, Arcs of the crimson mail !"</p></div></body></html> · Great War