<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">On the Death of John Davidson</h1><h1 align="" class="head">i</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">SAD soul by fickle Fortune spurned,</p><p class="line">Sad soul that burned,</p><p class="line">And flickered in the dark,</p><p class="line">Like a wind-troubled spark,</p><p class="line">Had God but given thee a little rest</p><p class="line">And sheltered thee a time to burn thy best,</p><p class="line">We seeing thee afar</p><p class="line">Had known thee as a star</p><p class="line">Upon His Breast.</p><p class="line">But Pain,</p><p class="line">Like wintry rain,</p><p class="line">Smothered thy fire with smoke;</p><p class="line">Care</p><p class="line">Drove thee to Despair</p><p class="line">Until thy proud heart broke,--</p><p class="line">Not trodden in the winepress into wine,</p><p class="line">By the white feet of Sorrow and Desire,</p><p class="line">But trampled by the cloven hooves of swine</p><p class="line">And cloven feet of devils in the mire.</p></div><h1 align="" class="head">ii</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">O bitter smoke to come from such a flame!</p><p class="line">O sordid ending of such dreams of fame!</p><p class="line">O lowly ending of so high an aim!</p><p class="line">Great! wert thou great, we know not, only know</p><p class="line">That thou wert great in hope, and great in woe,</p><p class="line">Too high to slumber in a grave so low,</p><p class="line">Too rich to be compelled thro' lack of gold</p><p class="line">To toil at shoddy--to be bought and sold</p><p class="line">In the world's market; strong enough to die</p><p class="line">Rather than living low to live a lie.</p></div><h1 align="" class="head">iii</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Would it have braver been to slay thine art,</p><p class="line">And on the world to crucify thy heart,--</p><p class="line">To work at lowly labour for thy bread,</p><p class="line">Smiling, as brave men do, amid thy dead,</p><p class="line">Letting none know the pain</p><p class="line">Of a hope loved in vain,</p><p class="line">Of a great thought unsaid?</p><p class="line">Would it have braver been to wait for Death</p><p class="line">Rather than call him with impatient breath?</p><p class="line">Would it have braver been? Is it so brave</p><p class="line">To live when love of life is in the grave,--</p><p class="line">To live without a soul? Is it worth while</p><p class="line">To make pretence of life, and talk, and smile,--</p><p class="line">Is it so brave?</p></div><h1 align="" class="head">iv</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">What man may judge? We know that thou wert strong,</p><p class="line">With a heart full of song</p><p class="line">And courage high.</p><p class="line">It was no coward who went forth to die,</p><p class="line">But one who bravely with despair had fought,</p><p class="line">Who in the darkness noble things had wrought</p><p class="line">In dream and thought;--</p><p class="line">One who had loved the earth, and sea, and sky;</p><p class="line">It was a <em>Poet</em> who went forth to die.</p><p class="line">And O, what faith was thine to go alone</p><p class="line">Into the dark unknown;</p><p class="line">What splendid faith was thine to woo such Sleep,</p><p class="line">Like a wounded thing to creep</p><p class="line">Into the deep,</p><p class="line">And close thy lids forever on the sun,</p><p class="line">Thy "labour ended and thy journey done!"</p><p class="line">Thy faith in death was faith in life meseems,</p><p class="line">Thy faith in sleep was faith in lovely dreams,</p><p class="line">And thy despair</p><p class="line">Was but a prayer</p><p class="line">To the Love that pardons and redeems.</p></div></body></html> · Great War