| |
| THICK rise the spear-shafts o’er the land | |
| That erst the harvest bore; | |
| The sword is heavy in the hand, | |
| And we return no more. | |
| The light wind waves the Ruddy Fox, | 5 |
| Our banner of the war, | |
| And ripples in the Running Ox, | |
| And we return no more. | |
| Across our stubble acres now | |
| The teams go four and four; | 10 |
| But outworn elders guide the plough, | |
| And we return no more. | |
| And now the women, heavy-eyed, | |
| Turn through the open door | |
| From gazing down the highway wide, | 15 |
| Where we return no more. | |
| The shadows of the fruitéd close | |
| Dapple the feast-hall floor; | |
| There lie our dogs and dream and doze, | |
| And we return no more. | 20 |
| Down from the minster tower to-day | |
| Fall the soft chimes of yore | |
| Amidst the chattering jackdaws’ play: | |
| And we return no more. | |
| But underneath the streets are still; | 25 |
| Noon, and the market’s o’er! | |
| Back go the goodwives o’er the hill; | |
| For we return no more. | |
| What merchant to our gates shall come? | |
| What wise man bring us lore? | 30 |
| What abbot ride away to Rome, | |
| Now we return no more? | |
| What mayor shall rule the hall we built? | |
| Whose scarlet sweep the floor? | |
| What judge shall doom the robber’s guilt, | 35 |
| Now we return no more? | |
| New houses in the streets shall rise | |
| Where builded we before, | |
| Of other stone wrought otherwise; | |
| For we return no more. | 40 |
| And crops shall cover field and hill, | |
| Unlike what once they bore, | |
| And all be done without our will, | |
| Now we return no more. | |
| Look up! the arrows streak the sky, | 45 |
| The horns of battle roar; | |
| The long spears lower and draw nigh, | |
| And we return no more. | |
| Remember how, beside the wain, | |
| We spoke the word of war, | 50 |
| And sow’d this harvest of the plain, | |
| And we return no more. | |
| Lay spears about the Ruddy Fox! | |
| The days of old are o’er; | |
| Heave sword about the Running Ox! | 55 |
| For we return no more. | |
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