Robert Bridges

“ Where cornlands bask and high elms rustle gently,
And still the unweeting birds sing on by brae and bourn.
The trumpet blareth and calleth the true to be stern
Be then thy soft reposeful music dumb;
Yet shall thy lovers awhile give ear
—Tho’ in war’s garb they come—
To the praise of England’s gentlest son ”

“ If thou didst sow good seed, is this the yield?
Shall not thy folk be quell’d in dead dismay?
Nay, with a larger hope we are fed and heal’d
Than e’er was reveal’d to the saints who died so strong;
For while men slept the seed had quicken’d unseen.
England is as a field whereon the corn is green.
Of trial and dark tribulation this vision is born—
Britain as a field green with the springing corn.
While we slumber’d the seed was growing unseen.
Happy returns of the day, dear Babe, we say.{37}
England has buried her sins with her fathers’ bones. ”

“ When to man dull of heart
Dawn’d at length graciously
Thy might of Motherhood
The starry Truth beam’d on his home;
Then with insight exalted he gave thee
The trappings—Lady—wherewith his art
Delighteth to picture his spirit to sense
And that grace is immortal.{11}
Fount of creative Love
Mother of the Word eternal
Atoning man with God:
Who set thee apart as a garden enclosed
From Nature’s all-producing wilds
To rear the richest fruit o’ the Life
Ever continuing out from Him
Urgent since the beginning.
II.
Behold! ”

“ Turn to thine isle, fair Peace; return thou and guard it well!
{28}
THE CHIVALRY OF THE SEA.
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF CHARLES FISHER, LATE
STUDENT OF CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD, LOST
IN THE “INVINCIBLE.”
Over the warring waters, beneath the wandering skies,
The heart of Britain roameth, the Chivalry of the sea,
Where Spring never bringeth a flower, nor bird singeth in a tree;
Far, afar, O beloved, beyond the sight of our eyes,
Over the warring waters, beneath the stormy skies. ”

“ Save their hell-heart who stab man’s hope to live
In mutual freedom, peace and brotherhood.
{39}
OUR PRISONERS OF WAR IN GERMANY
October, 1918.
Prisoners to a foe inhuman, Oh! but our hearts rebel:
Defenceless victims ye are, in claws of spite a prey,
Conquering your torturers, enduring night and day
Malice, year-long drawn out your noble spirits to quell. ”

“ When the war broke out I remembered my poem and sent it to The Times, where it appeared in the Literary Supplement September 24, 1914.
Poem 13, “Wake up, England!”—This motto is the King’s well-known call to the country in 1901 at the Guildhall.
The verses appeared in The Times on August 8, 1914. There were three other stanzas, which are better omitted; and the last two lines, which were printed in capitals and ran thus,
England stands for honour,
May God defend the right,
were purposely set out of metre. ”

“ Didst build the fanes of Zeus and Apollo
The high cathedrals of Christ.{9}
All that we love is thine—Almighty!—
Heart-felt music and lyric song
Language the eager grasp of knowledge
All that we think is thine. ”

“ It is natural to conclude that, had he pursued his inventions, his next step would have been to get rid of this anomaly; and if that is done, the result is the new rhythms that these poems exhibit. In this sort of prosody rhyme is admitted, like alliteration, as an ornament at will; it is not needed. My four experiments are confined to the twelve-syllable verse. It is probably agreed that there are possibilities in that long six-foot line which English poetry has not fully explored.
Poem 12, “Hell and Hate.”—This poem was written December 16, 1913. ”

“ Nor trouble we just Heaven that quick revenge be done
On Satan’s chamberlains highseated in Berlin;
Their reek floats round the world on all lands ’neath the sun:
Tho’ in craven Germany was no man found, not one
With spirit enough to cry Shame!—Nay, but on such sin
{40} Follows Perdition eternal ... and it has begun.
HARVEST-HOME
VERSES TO THE AMERICANS ON THEIR THANKSGIVING DAY, CELEBRATED IN ENGLAND NOVEMBER 28, 1918. ”