Collected Poems Volume I Part 25

VII

But he took us through his palace and, my lads, as I'm a sinner, We walked into an opal like a sunset-coloured cloud-- "My dining-room," he says, and, quick as light we saw a dinner Spread before us by the fingers of a hidden fairy crowd; And the skipper, swaying gently After dinner, murmurs faintly, "I looks to-wards you, Prester John, you've done us very proud!"

_Cho._--And we drank his health with honours, for he _done_ us _very_ proud!

VIII

Then he walks us to his garden where we sees a feathered demon Very splendid and important on a sort of spicy tree!

"That's the Phoenix," whispers Prester, "which all eddicated seamen Knows the only one existent, and _he's_ waiting for to flee!

When his hundred years expire Then he'll set hisself a-fire And another from his ashes rise most beautiful to see!"

_Cho._--With wings of rose and emerald most beautiful to see!

IX

Then he says, "In younder forest there's a little silver river, And whosoever drinks of it, his youth shall never die!

The centuries go by, but Prester John endures for ever With his music in the mountains and his magic on the sky!

While _your_ hearts are growing colder, While your world is growing older, There's a magic in the distance, where the sea-line meets the sky,"

_Cho._--It shall call to singing seamen till the fount o' song is dry!

X

So we thought we'd up and seek it, but that forest fair defied us,-- First a crimson leopard laughs at us most horrible to see, Then a sea-green lion came and sniffed and licked his chops and eyed us, While a red and yellow unicorn was dancing round a tree!

_We_ was trying to look thinner, Which was hard, because our dinner Must ha' made us very tempting to a cat o' high degree!

_Cho._--Must ha' made us very tempting to the whole menarjeree!

XI

So we scuttled from that forest and across the poppy meadows Where the awful s.h.a.ggy horror brooded o'er us in the dark!

And we pushes out from sh.o.r.e again a-jumping at our shadows, And pulls away most joyful to the old black barque!

And home again we plodded While the Polyphemus nodded With his battered moon-eye winking red and yellow through the dark.

_Cho._--Oh, the moon above the mountains, red and yellow through the dark!

XII

Across the seas of Wonderland to London-town we blundered, Forty singing seamen as was puzzled for to know If the visions that we saw was caused by--here again we pondered-- A tipple in a vision forty thousand years ago.

Could the grog we _dreamt_ we swallowed Make us _dream_ of all that followed?

We were only simple seamen, so of course we didn't know!

_Cho._--We were simple singing seamen, so of course we could not know!

THE EMPIRE BUILDERS

Who are the Empire-builders? They Whose desperate arrogance demands A self-reflecting power to sway A hundred little selfless lands?

Lord G.o.d of battles, ere we bow To these and to their soulless l.u.s.t, Let fall Thy thunders on us now And strike us equal to the dust.

Before the stars in heaven were made Our great Commander led us forth; And now the embattled lines are laid To East, to West, to South, to North; According as of old He planned We take our station in the field, Nor dare to dream we understand The splendour of the swords we wield.

We know not what the Soul intends That lives and moves behind our deeds; We wheel and march to glorious ends Beyond the common soldier's needs: And some are raised to high rewards, And some by regiments are hurled To die upon the opposing swords And sleep--forgotten by the world.

And not where navies churn the foam, Nor called to fields of fierce emprize, In many a country cottage-home The Empire-builder lives and dies: Or through the roaring streets he goes A lean and weary City slave, The conqueror of a thousand foes Who walks, unheeded, to his grave.

Leaders unknown of hopes forlorn Go past us in the daily mart, With many a shadowy crown of thorn And many a kingly broken heart: Though England's banner overhead Ever the secret signal flew, We only see its Cross is red As children see the skies are blue.

For all are Empire-builders here, Whose hearts are true to heaven and home And, year by slow revolving year, Fulfil the duties as they come; So simple seems the task, and yet Many for this are crucified; Ay, and their brother-men forget The simple wounds in palm and side.

But he that to his home is true, Where'er the tides of power may flow, Has built a kingdom great and new Which Time nor Fate shall overthrow These are the Empire-builders, these Annex where none shall say them nay Beyond the world's uncharted seas Realms that can never pa.s.s away.

NELSON'S YEAR

(1905)

I

"Hasten the Kingdom, England!"

This year, a hundred years ago, The world attended, breathless, on the gathering pomp of war, While England and her deathless dead, with all their mighty hearts aglow, Swept onward like the dawn of doom to triumph at Trafalgar; Then the world was hushed to wonder As the cannon's dying thunder Broke out again in m.u.f.fled peals across the heaving sea, And home the Victor came at last, Home, home, with England's flag half-mast, That never dipped to foe before, on Nelson's Victory.

II

G.o.d gave this year to England; And what He gives He takes again; He gives us life, He gives us death: our victories have wings; He gives us love and in its heart He hides the whole world's heart of pain: We gain by loss: impartially the eternal balance swings!

Ay; in the fire we cherish Our thoughts and dreams may perish; Yet shall it burn for England's sake triumphant as of old!

What sacrifice could gain for her Our own shall still maintain for her, And hold the gates of Freedom wide that take no keys of gold.

III

G.o.d gave this year to England; Her eyes are far too bright for tears Of sorrow; by her silent dead she kneels, too proud for pride; Their blood, their love, have bought her right to claim the new imperial years In England's name for Freedom, in whose love her children died; In whose love, though hope may dwindle, Love and brotherhood shall kindle Between the striving nations as a choral song takes fire, Till new hope, new faith, new wonder Cleave the clouds of doubt asunder, And speed the union of mankind in one divine desire.

IV

Hasten the Kingdom, England; This year across the listening world There came a sound of mingled tears where victory and defeat Clasped hands; and Peace--among the dead--stood wistfully, with white wings furled, Knowing the strife was idle; for the night and morning meet, Yet there is no disunion In heaven's divine communion As through the gates of twilight the harmonious morning pours; Ah, G.o.d speed that grander morrow When the world's divinest sorrow Shall show how Love stands knocking at the world's unopened doors.

V

Hasten the Kingdom, England; Look up across the narrow seas, Across the great white nations to thy dark imperial throne Where now three hundred million souls attend on thine august decrees; Ah, bow thine head in humbleness, the Kingdom is thine own: Not for the pride or power G.o.d gave thee this in dower; But, now the West and East have met and wept their mortal loss, Now that their tears have spoken And the long dumb spell is broken, Is it nothing that thy banner bears the red eternal cross?