But the black North-easter, Through the snowstorm hurled, 657 J. WILSON (?) [19th Century] THE CANADIAN BOAT SONG LISTEN to me, as when ye heard our father All your deep voices as ye pull your oars: Fair these broad meads-these hoary woods are grand; From the lone shieling of the misty island We ne'er shall tread the fancy-haunted valley, Where 'tween the dark hills creeps the small clear stream, In arms around the patriarch banner rally, Nor see the moon on royal tombstones gleam: Fair these broad meads, &c. When the bold kindred, in the time long-vanished, Come foreign rage-let Discord burst in slaughter! Fair these broad meads-these hoary woods are grand; 658 ROBERT BROWNING [1812-1889] PROSPICE FEAR death?-to feel the fog in my throat, When the snows begin, and the blasts denote The power of the night, the press of the storm, Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form, For the journey is done and the summit attained, Though a battle's to fight ere the guerdon be gained; I was ever a fighter, so-one fight more, The best and the last! I would hate that death bandaged my eyes, and forbore, And bade me creep past. No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers The heroes of old, Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life's arrears For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave, And the elements' rage, the fiend-voices that rave, Shall change, shall become first a peace out of pain, O thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again, 659 'How THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM I SPRANG to the stirrup, and Joris, and he; I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three; Good speed!' cried the watch, as the gate-bolts undrew; Speed!' echoed the wall to us galloping through; Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, And into the midnight we galloped abreast. Not a word to each other; we kept the great pace 'Twas moonset at starting; but while we drew near And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half-chime, At Aerschot, up leaped of a sudden the sun, And against him the cattle stood black every one, To stare through the mist at us galloping past, The haze, as some bluff river headland its spray. And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear bent back By Hasselt, Dirck groaned; and cried Joris, 'Stay spur! As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank. So we were left galloping, Joris and I, Past Looz and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky; The broad sun above laughed a pitiless laugh, 'Neath our feet broke the brittle bright stubble like chaff; Till over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white, And Gallop', gasped Joris, 'for Aix is in sight!' 'How they'll greet us!'-and all in a moment his roan Then I cast loose my buffcoat, each holster let fall, And all I remember is, friends flocking round As I sat with his head 'twixt my knees on the ground; As I poured down his throat our last measure of wine, Was no more than his due who brought good news from Ghent. 660 THE LOST LEADER Just for a handful of silver he left us, Just for a riband to stick in his coat— Found the one gift of which fortune bereft us, They, with the gold to give, doled him out silver, How all our copper had gone for his service! Rags were they purple, his heart had been proud! Learned his great language, caught his clear accents, Burns, Shelley, were with us,-they watch from their graves! He alone breaks from the van and the freemen, He alone sinks to the rear and the slaves! We shall march prospering,-not through his presence; |