<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">England's Dead.</h1><p class="epigraph"></p><blockquote>"Make them to be numbered with Thy saints: in glory everlasting."</blockquote><div class="stanza"><p class="line">HOMEWARD the long ships leap: swift-shod with joy</p><p class="line">Striding the deep-sea dykes fast home they fare,-</p><p class="line">Where is my wedded love? Where is my boy?</p><p class="line">Where go the dead that died for England, where ?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Homeward the long ships leap; but not with these</p><p class="line">Thy boy, thy wedded love, O gentle-eyed</p><p class="line">Woman of England, nor far over-seas</p><p class="line">Mixing with dull earth sleep the dead that died</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">For England. They, in God's completed aims,</p><p class="line">Bear each his part; unseen of bounded sight,</p><p class="line">Down the vast firmament that floats and flames</p><p class="line">Crested with stars and panoplied in light,</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Of strenuous clean souls a long array</p><p class="line">With lambent lance and white, bright, blinding sword,</p><p class="line">All riding upon horses-what are they?</p><p class="line">They are the dead which died in Christ their Lord</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">For England, from old time; with God made one,</p><p class="line">As on the mount the triple vision shone,</p><p class="line">So shine they now, and like the noontide sun</p><p class="line">Before them all the fair St. George rides on.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">There goes the boy of Crécy, whispering low</p><p class="line">To him of Agincourt, a kingly pair,</p><p class="line">With many mighty men which bent the bow-</p><p class="line">There go the dead that died for England, there;</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">There go those quenchiess Talbots, there theflower</p><p class="line">Of Devon, Grenville, Gilbert, mariners rare,</p><p class="line">She too who thought foul scorn of Philip's power,-</p><p class="line">There go the dead that died for England, there;</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And Sidney who the rippling cup resigned,</p><p class="line">And happy Wolfe; wan Pitt released from care,</p><p class="line">Nelson the well-beloved, and all his kind-</p><p class="line">There go the dead that died for England, there;</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And he who broke the Corsican's strong spell,</p><p class="line">And Nicholson impatient of despair,</p><p class="line">And Gordon, faithful, desolate sentinel-</p><p class="line">There go the dead that died for England, there;</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And there unhelmeted, ungirt of brand.</p><p class="line">Victoria moves with mild, maternal air,</p><p class="line">Still vigilant, still prayerful for the land--</p><p class="line">There go the dead that died for England, there;</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Nor ride they idly nor with indolent rein,</p><p class="line">Irresolute, as men that seek no foe,</p><p class="line">But by the pathless sea, by peak and plain</p><p class="line">Bright-eyed, stern-lipped, all day, all night they go</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Forth as a fire that snatches and davours</p><p class="line">Wind-withered woods, so go they swift and fell,</p><p class="line">Warring with principalities and powers,</p><p class="line">Hunting through space the swart, old bands of hell</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">And all the sounding causeways of the spheres</p><p class="line">Ring like white iron with the rhythmic tread</p><p class="line">Of these and their innumerable peers;</p><p class="line">But most round England muster England's dead,</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Round England cradled in her roaring seas,</p><p class="line">With Arctic snows white-girdled, bathed in suns</p><p class="line">Asian. and Australasian, there go these;</p><p class="line">And where one solitary trader runs</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">His English keel, and where one lonely sword</p><p class="line">Glimmers for England, one unsleeping brain</p><p class="line">Watches and works for England, thitherward</p><p class="line">Gather the bright souls of her servants slain</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">For her, and lock their shimmering ranks, and sweep</p><p class="line">Round England's child as sweeps the northerngale</p><p class="line">Round some stark pine-tree on the moorland steep,</p><p class="line">And from the flash and rattle of their mail</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Hell's pale marauders shudderingly recoil</p><p class="line">Frustrate. O glad condition and sublime</p><p class="line">Of our undying dead, to fight and foil</p><p class="line">The ancient foe, continually to climb</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Through God's high order of His saints, to meet</p><p class="line">Some soul whose star-like name lit all theircourse,</p><p class="line">And commune with him, to discern and greet</p><p class="line">Old kindred, love, and friendship, hound and horse;</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">To see God face to face, and still to see</p><p class="line">And labour for the loves that grope on earth,</p><p class="line">To wait serenely till all souls shall be</p><p class="line">One in God's aristocracy of worth-</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">O glad condition and sublime! whereto</p><p class="line">That southern tomb thy hands may never tend</p><p class="line">Was but the gateway thy loved boy passed through,</p><p class="line">Thy wedded love passed through, that he might wend</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Homeward to thee; thou canst not see the blaze</p><p class="line">Of his great blade nor hear his trumpets blare,</p><p class="line">Yet thick as brown leaves round about thy ways,</p><p class="line">There go the dead that died for England, there.</p></div><p class="byline">Frank Taylor.</p></body></html> · Great War