<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">The Year's Retrospect</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">WHAT was the lark to the zenith upspringing for?</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">What was he babbling as summer drew near ?</p><p class="line">What were the bell-ringers goldenly ringing for?</p><p class="line">What was the heart of all maidenhood singing for ?</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Love, love, love, at the gush of the year.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">What was the arm of the warrior smiting for ?</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">What could it be that he held it so dear ?</p><p class="line">What were the far-parted nations uniting for ?</p><p class="line">What were the thrones and the satrapies fighting for ?</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Life, life, life, through the surge of the year.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">What are the bride's and the mother's eyes welling for,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Now when the daylight is niggard and drear ?</p><p class="line">What is the hush in the desolate dwelling for ?</p><p class="line">What is the tolling and what is the knelling for ?</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Death, death, death, 'mid the lees of the year.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Love that was baulked of the heaven it was sighing for--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Life that was felled ere a leaf had turned sere--</p><p class="line">What have they left that is worthy our dying for ?</p><p class="line">Vengeance, which earth and the deep seas are crying for,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Round the last flare of the pyre of the year.</p></div></body></html> · Great War