| J. C. Squire, ed. A Book of Women’s Verse. 1921. | | | | Sixteen Dead Men | | By Dora Sigerson Shorter (1866–1918) |
| | | HARK! in the still night. Who goes there? | |
| ‘Fifteen dead men.’ Why do they wait? | |
| ‘Hasten, comrade, death is so fair.’ | |
| Now comes their Captain through the dim gate. | |
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| Sixteen dead men! What on their sword? | 5 |
| ‘A nation’s honour proud do they bear.’ | |
| What on their bent heads? ‘God’s holy word; | |
| All of their nation’s heart blended in prayer.’ | |
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| Sixteen dead men! What makes their shroud? | |
| ‘All of their nation’s love wraps them around.’ | 10 |
| Where do their bodies lie, brave and so proud? | |
| ‘Under the gallows-tree in prison-ground.’ | |
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| Sixteen dead men! Where do they go? | |
| ‘To join their regiment where Sarsfield leads; | |
| Wolfe Tone and Emmet, too, well do they know. | 15 |
| There shall they bivouac, telling great deeds.’ | |
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| Sixteen dead men! Shall they return? | |
| ‘Yea, they shall come again, breath of our breath. | |
| They on our nation’s hearth made old fires burn. | |
| Guard her unconquered soul, strong in their death.’ | 20 | | | |
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