| Andrew Macphail, comp. The Book of Sorrow. 1916. | | | XX. The Burial
Dirge for a Soldier | | By George Henry Boker (1823–1890) |
| | | CLOSE his eyes; his work is done. | |
| What to him is friend or foeman, | |
| Rise of moon or set of sun, | |
| Hand of man or kiss of woman? | |
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| Lay him low, lay him low, | 5 |
| In the clover or the snow! | |
| What cares he? He cannot know: | |
| Lay him low! | |
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| As man may, he fought his fight, | |
| Proved his truth by his endeavour: | 10 |
| Let him sleep in solemn night, | |
| Sleep for ever and for ever. | |
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| Fold him in his country’s stars, | |
| Roll the drum and fire the volley! | |
| What to him are all our wars? | 15 |
| What but death bemocking folly? | |
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| Leave him to God’s watching eye: | |
| Trust him to the hand that made him. | |
| Mortal love weeps idly by: | |
| God alone has power to aid him. | 20 |
| |
| Lay him low, lay him low, | |
| In the clover or the snow! | |
| What cares he? He cannot know: | |
| Lay him low! | | | | |
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