HEROES OF THE "TITANIC"
Honour the brave who sleep
Where the lost "Titanic" lies,
The men who knew what a man must do
When he looks Death in the eyes.
"Women and children first,"--
Ah, strong and tender cry!
The sons whom women had borne and nursed,
Remembered,--and dared to die.
The boats crept off in the dark:
The great ship groaned: and then,--
O stars of the night, who saw that sight,
Bear witness, _These were men!_
November 9, 1912.
THE STANDARD-BEARER
I
"How can I tell," Sir Edmund said,
"Who has the right or the wrong o' this thing?
Cromwell stands for the people's cause,
Charles is crowned by the ancient laws;
English meadows are sopping red,
Englishmen striking each other dead,--
Times are black as a raven's wing.
Out of the ruck and the murk I see
Only one thing!
The King has trusted his banner to me,
And I must fight for the King."
II
Into the thick of the Edgehill fight
Sir Edmund rode with a shout; and the ring
Of grim-faced, hard-hitting Parliament men
Swallowed him up,--it was one against ten!
He fought for the standard with all his might,
Never again did he come to sight--
Victor, hid by the raven's wing!
After the battle had passed we found
Only one thing,--
The hand of Sir Edmund gripped around
The banner-staff of his King.
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