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Arrived one autumn morning with their bells；
To hoist them on the towers and citadels
Of my own country； that the musical rhymes
Rung by them into space at meted times
Amid the market's daily stir and stress；
And the night's empty star…lit silentness；
Might solace souls of this and kindred climes。
Then I awoke； and lo； before me stood
The visioned ones； but pale and full of fear；
From Bruges they came； and Antwerp； and Ostend；
No carillons in their train。 Foes of mad mood
Had shattered these to shards amid the gear
Of ravaged roof； and smouldering gable…end。
October 18； 1914。
AN APPEAL TO AMERICA
ON BEHALF OF THE BELGIAN DESTITUTE
Seven millions stand
Emaciate； in that ancient Delta…land：…
We here； full…charged with our own maimed and dead；
And coiled in throbbing conflicts slow and sore；
Can poorly soothe these ails unmerited
Of souls forlorn upon the facing shore！ …
Where naked； gaunt； in endless band on band
Seven millions stand。
No man can say
To your great country that； with scant delay；
You must； perforce； ease them in their loud need：
We know that nearer first your duty lies；
Butis it much to ask that you let plead
Your lovingkindness with youwooing…wise …
Albeit that aught you owe； and must repay；
No man can say？
December 1914。
THE PITY OF IT
I walked in loamy Wessex lanes； afar
From rail…track and from highway； and I heard
In field and farmstead many an ancient word
Of local lineage like 〃Thu bist；〃 〃Er war；〃
〃Ich woll；〃 〃Er sholl；〃 and by…talk similar；
Nigh as they speak who in this month's moon gird
At England's very loins； thereunto spurred
By gangs whose glory threats and slaughters are。
Then seemed a Heart crying： 〃Whosoever they be
At root and bottom of this； who flung this flame
Between kin folk kin tongued even as are we；
〃Sinister； ugly； lurid； be their fame；
May their familiars grow to shun their name；
And their brood perish everlastingly。〃
April 1915。
IN TIME OF WARS AND TUMULTS
〃Would that I'd not drawn breath here！〃 some one said；
〃To stalk upon this stage of evil deeds；
Where purposelessly month by month proceeds
A play so sorely shaped and blood…bespread。〃
Yet had his spark not quickened； but lain dead
To the gross spectacles of this our day；
And never put on the proffered cloak of clay；
He had but known not things now manifested；
Life would have swirled the same。 Morns would have dawned
On the uprooting by the night…gun's stroke
Of what the yester noonshine brought to flower；
Brown martial brows in dying throes have wanned
Despite his absence； hearts no fewer been broke
By Empery's insatiate lust of power。
1915。
IN TIME OF 〃THE BREAKING OF NATIONS〃 ｛1｝
I
Only a man harrowing clods
In a slow silent walk
With an old horse that stumbles and nods
Half asleep as they stalk。
II
Only thin smoke without flame
From the heaps of couch…grass；
Yet this will go onward the same
Though Dynasties pass。
III
Yonder a maid and her wight
Come whispering by：
War's annals will cloud into night
Ere their story die。
1915。
CRY OF THE HOMELESS
AFTER THE PRUSSIAN INVASION OF BELGIUM
〃Instigator of the ruin …
Whichsoever thou mayst be
Of the masterful of Europe
That contrived our misery …
Hear the wormwood…worded greeting
From each city； shore； and lea
Of thy victims：
〃Conqueror； all hail to thee！〃
〃Yea： 'All hail！' we grimly shout thee
That wast author； fount； and head
Of these wounds； whoever proven
When our times are throughly read。
'May thy loved be slighted； blighted；
And forsaken；' be it said
By thy victims；
'And thy children beg their bread！'
〃Nay： a richer malediction！ …
Rather let this thing befall
In time's hurling and unfurling
On the night when comes thy call；
That compassion dew thy pillow
And bedrench thy senses all
For thy victims；
Till death dark thee with his pall。〃
August 1915。
BEFORE MARCHING AND AFTER
（in Memoriam F。 W。 G。）
Orion swung southward aslant
Where the starved Egdon pine…trees had thinned；
The Pleiads aloft seemed to pant
With the heather that twitched in the wind；
But he looked on indifferent to sights such as these；
Unswayed by love； friendship； home joy or home sorrow；
And wondered to what he would march on the morrow。
The crazed household…clock with its whirr
Rang midnight within as he stood；
He heard the low sighing of her
Who had striven from his birth for his good；
But he still only asked the spring starlight； the breeze；
What great thing or small thing his history would borrow
From that Game with Death he would play on the morrow。
When the heath wore the robe of late summer；
And the fuchsia…bells； hot in the sun；
Hung red by the door； a quick comer
Brought tidings that marching was done
For him who had joined in that game overseas
Where Death stood to win； though his name was to borrow
A brightness therefrom not to fade on the morrow。
September 1915。
〃OFTEN WHEN WARRING〃
Often when warring for he wist not what；
An enemy…soldier； passing by one weak；
Has tendered water； wiped the burning cheek；
And cooled the lips so black and clammed and hot；
Then gone his way； and maybe quite forgot
The deed of grace amid the roar and reek；
Yet larger vision than loud arms bespeak
He there has reached； although he has known it not。
For natural mindsight； triumphing in the act
Over the throes of artificial rage；
Has thuswise muffled victory's peal of pride；
Rended to ribands policy's specious page
That deals but with evasion； code； and pact；
And war's apology wholly stultified。
1915。
THEN AND NOW
When battles were fought
With a chivalrous sense of Should and Ought；
In spirit men said；
〃End we quick or dead；
Honour is some reward！
Let us fight fairfor our own best or worst；
So； Gentlemen of the Guard；
Fire first！〃
In the open they stood；
Man to man in his knightlihood：
They would not deign
To profit by a stain
On the honourable rules；
Knowing that practise perfidy no man durst
Who in the heroic schools
Was nurst。
But now； behold； what
Is warfare wherein honour is not！
Rama laments
Its dead innocents：
Herod breathes： 〃Sly slaughter
Shall rule！ Let us； by modes once called accurst；
Overhead； under water；
Stab first。〃
1915。
A CALL TO NATIONAL SERVICE
Up and be doing； all who have a hand
To lift； a back to bend。 It must not be
In times like these that vaguely linger we
To air our vaunts and hopes； and leave our land
Untended as a wild of weeds and sand。
… Say； then； 〃I come！〃 and go； O women and men
Of palace； ploughshare； easel； counter； pen；
That scareless； scathless； England still may stand。
Would years but let me stir as once I stirred
At many a dawn to take the forward track；
And with a stride plunged on to enterprize；
I now would speed like yester wind that whirred
Through yielding pines； and serve with never a slack；
So loud for promptness all around outcries！