Poems National and Nonoriental Author:Edwin Arnold Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 'Twas his to wield a blunted sword,—to fight a fated field, While idle tongues talked victory, to struggle not to yield; Light task for placeman's ready pe... more »n to plan a day for fight, Hard work and hot with steel and shot to win that day aright. Tears have been shed for the brave dead; mourn him who mourned for all! Praise hath been given for strife well striven, praise him who strove o'er all, Nor count that conquest little, though no banner flaunt it far, That under him our English hearts with Frost and Plague waged war. And if he held those English hearts too good to pave the path To idle victories, shall we grudge what noble palm he hath ? Like ancient Chief he fought a-front, and 'mid his soldiers seen, His work was aye as stern as theirs; oh! make his grave as green. They know him well,—the Dead who died that Russian wrong should cease ; Where Fortune doth not measure men,—their souls and his have peace ; Aye ! as well spent in sad sick tent as they in bloody strife, For English Homes our English Chief gave what he had,—his life. Florence IRigbttngale. If on this verse of mine Those eyes shall ever shine, Whereto sore-wounded men have looked for life, Think not that for a rhyme. Nor yet to fit the time, I name thy name, —true Victress in this strife ! But let it serve to say That, when we kneel to pray, Prayers rise for thee thine ear shall never know; And that thy gallant deed, For God, and for our need, Is in all hearts, as deep as love can go. 'Tis good that thy name springs From two of Earth's fair things— A stately city and a soft-voiced bird; "Tis well that in all homes, "When thy sweet story comes, And brave eyes fill—that pleasant sounds be heard. Oh voice! in night of fe...« less