H. C. HARWOOD(BALLIOL)CALL OF THE DEADHaveyou not waited there too long,Little brother of mine,With a spirit too weak in a world too strong?You do not play as you used to doWhen you and I were an army of two.Surely you dally there too long,Little brother of mine.Death is an old benevolent king,Little brother of mine,And around his throne the children sing.Time, life's sullen minister,Dulls the heart and dulls the hair,But does not stand before my king,Little brother of mine.Hopes we cherish down below,Little brother of mine,Melt in manhood like the snow.Tranquil in inexperience,Call on Death for your defence,And leave the tangle down below,Little brother of mine.Forgotten laughter, remembered tears,Little brother of mine,Would be the burden of your years.So let us play together againWith a child's swift joy and swifter pain,And reckon no more of months and years,Little brother of mine.RETURNAgainstthe ebbing tide we make our way.Beyond the low green banks the fenlands stretchTo a far horizon. Trawler, smack and ketchAre passing for the business of the day.There is the inlet where the immortal boys,As white and slim as ever, splash and call.Deserted on the other bank Blake HallStill contemplates contemptuously their noise.There are the docks where the tall mastheads shineOf mightyHelsingfors, the timber ship.And a new craft is lying in the slipWhich presently shall be baptized with wine.The houses gather thicker, and a girlWaves her indifferent smiling welcome. See!The loungers are awakened on the quayAnd stand to catch the rope the sailors curl.Now grey and swift the startled seagulls wheel.The engine-room is silent which so longHas shaped our lives to its monotonous song.The fenders bump against the slowing keel.The smoke is rising from my father's homeAcross the street, and flapping in the breezeA curtain welcomes me from off the seas,The querulous seas, where I was wont to roam.And there miraculously free from ageThe faces of my playfellows are seen.And all is now as it has ever been,Or smiling destiny turns back the page.But always ere my feet are firm uponThe natal shore, dream ship, dream river fade,And I am burdened with the choice I madeAnd lonely in the land where I am gone.
H. C. HARWOOD(BALLIOL)
H. C. HARWOOD(BALLIOL)
Haveyou not waited there too long,Little brother of mine,With a spirit too weak in a world too strong?You do not play as you used to doWhen you and I were an army of two.Surely you dally there too long,Little brother of mine.Death is an old benevolent king,Little brother of mine,And around his throne the children sing.Time, life's sullen minister,Dulls the heart and dulls the hair,But does not stand before my king,Little brother of mine.Hopes we cherish down below,Little brother of mine,Melt in manhood like the snow.Tranquil in inexperience,Call on Death for your defence,And leave the tangle down below,Little brother of mine.Forgotten laughter, remembered tears,Little brother of mine,Would be the burden of your years.So let us play together againWith a child's swift joy and swifter pain,And reckon no more of months and years,Little brother of mine.
Haveyou not waited there too long,Little brother of mine,With a spirit too weak in a world too strong?You do not play as you used to doWhen you and I were an army of two.Surely you dally there too long,Little brother of mine.Death is an old benevolent king,Little brother of mine,And around his throne the children sing.Time, life's sullen minister,Dulls the heart and dulls the hair,But does not stand before my king,Little brother of mine.Hopes we cherish down below,Little brother of mine,Melt in manhood like the snow.Tranquil in inexperience,Call on Death for your defence,And leave the tangle down below,Little brother of mine.Forgotten laughter, remembered tears,Little brother of mine,Would be the burden of your years.So let us play together againWith a child's swift joy and swifter pain,And reckon no more of months and years,Little brother of mine.
Haveyou not waited there too long,Little brother of mine,With a spirit too weak in a world too strong?You do not play as you used to doWhen you and I were an army of two.Surely you dally there too long,Little brother of mine.
Haveyou not waited there too long,
Little brother of mine,
With a spirit too weak in a world too strong?
You do not play as you used to do
When you and I were an army of two.
Surely you dally there too long,
Little brother of mine.
Death is an old benevolent king,Little brother of mine,And around his throne the children sing.Time, life's sullen minister,Dulls the heart and dulls the hair,But does not stand before my king,Little brother of mine.
Death is an old benevolent king,
Little brother of mine,
And around his throne the children sing.
Time, life's sullen minister,
Dulls the heart and dulls the hair,
But does not stand before my king,
Little brother of mine.
Hopes we cherish down below,Little brother of mine,Melt in manhood like the snow.Tranquil in inexperience,Call on Death for your defence,And leave the tangle down below,Little brother of mine.
Hopes we cherish down below,
Little brother of mine,
Melt in manhood like the snow.
Tranquil in inexperience,
Call on Death for your defence,
And leave the tangle down below,
Little brother of mine.
Forgotten laughter, remembered tears,Little brother of mine,Would be the burden of your years.So let us play together againWith a child's swift joy and swifter pain,And reckon no more of months and years,Little brother of mine.
Forgotten laughter, remembered tears,
Little brother of mine,
Would be the burden of your years.
So let us play together again
With a child's swift joy and swifter pain,
And reckon no more of months and years,
Little brother of mine.
Againstthe ebbing tide we make our way.Beyond the low green banks the fenlands stretchTo a far horizon. Trawler, smack and ketchAre passing for the business of the day.There is the inlet where the immortal boys,As white and slim as ever, splash and call.Deserted on the other bank Blake HallStill contemplates contemptuously their noise.There are the docks where the tall mastheads shineOf mightyHelsingfors, the timber ship.And a new craft is lying in the slipWhich presently shall be baptized with wine.The houses gather thicker, and a girlWaves her indifferent smiling welcome. See!The loungers are awakened on the quayAnd stand to catch the rope the sailors curl.Now grey and swift the startled seagulls wheel.The engine-room is silent which so longHas shaped our lives to its monotonous song.The fenders bump against the slowing keel.The smoke is rising from my father's homeAcross the street, and flapping in the breezeA curtain welcomes me from off the seas,The querulous seas, where I was wont to roam.And there miraculously free from ageThe faces of my playfellows are seen.And all is now as it has ever been,Or smiling destiny turns back the page.But always ere my feet are firm uponThe natal shore, dream ship, dream river fade,And I am burdened with the choice I madeAnd lonely in the land where I am gone.
Againstthe ebbing tide we make our way.Beyond the low green banks the fenlands stretchTo a far horizon. Trawler, smack and ketchAre passing for the business of the day.There is the inlet where the immortal boys,As white and slim as ever, splash and call.Deserted on the other bank Blake HallStill contemplates contemptuously their noise.There are the docks where the tall mastheads shineOf mightyHelsingfors, the timber ship.And a new craft is lying in the slipWhich presently shall be baptized with wine.The houses gather thicker, and a girlWaves her indifferent smiling welcome. See!The loungers are awakened on the quayAnd stand to catch the rope the sailors curl.Now grey and swift the startled seagulls wheel.The engine-room is silent which so longHas shaped our lives to its monotonous song.The fenders bump against the slowing keel.The smoke is rising from my father's homeAcross the street, and flapping in the breezeA curtain welcomes me from off the seas,The querulous seas, where I was wont to roam.And there miraculously free from ageThe faces of my playfellows are seen.And all is now as it has ever been,Or smiling destiny turns back the page.But always ere my feet are firm uponThe natal shore, dream ship, dream river fade,And I am burdened with the choice I madeAnd lonely in the land where I am gone.
Againstthe ebbing tide we make our way.Beyond the low green banks the fenlands stretchTo a far horizon. Trawler, smack and ketchAre passing for the business of the day.
Againstthe ebbing tide we make our way.
Beyond the low green banks the fenlands stretch
To a far horizon. Trawler, smack and ketch
Are passing for the business of the day.
There is the inlet where the immortal boys,As white and slim as ever, splash and call.Deserted on the other bank Blake HallStill contemplates contemptuously their noise.
There is the inlet where the immortal boys,
As white and slim as ever, splash and call.
Deserted on the other bank Blake Hall
Still contemplates contemptuously their noise.
There are the docks where the tall mastheads shineOf mightyHelsingfors, the timber ship.And a new craft is lying in the slipWhich presently shall be baptized with wine.
There are the docks where the tall mastheads shine
Of mightyHelsingfors, the timber ship.
And a new craft is lying in the slip
Which presently shall be baptized with wine.
The houses gather thicker, and a girlWaves her indifferent smiling welcome. See!The loungers are awakened on the quayAnd stand to catch the rope the sailors curl.
The houses gather thicker, and a girl
Waves her indifferent smiling welcome. See!
The loungers are awakened on the quay
And stand to catch the rope the sailors curl.
Now grey and swift the startled seagulls wheel.The engine-room is silent which so longHas shaped our lives to its monotonous song.The fenders bump against the slowing keel.
Now grey and swift the startled seagulls wheel.
The engine-room is silent which so long
Has shaped our lives to its monotonous song.
The fenders bump against the slowing keel.
The smoke is rising from my father's homeAcross the street, and flapping in the breezeA curtain welcomes me from off the seas,The querulous seas, where I was wont to roam.
The smoke is rising from my father's home
Across the street, and flapping in the breeze
A curtain welcomes me from off the seas,
The querulous seas, where I was wont to roam.
And there miraculously free from ageThe faces of my playfellows are seen.And all is now as it has ever been,Or smiling destiny turns back the page.
And there miraculously free from age
The faces of my playfellows are seen.
And all is now as it has ever been,
Or smiling destiny turns back the page.
But always ere my feet are firm uponThe natal shore, dream ship, dream river fade,And I am burdened with the choice I madeAnd lonely in the land where I am gone.
But always ere my feet are firm upon
The natal shore, dream ship, dream river fade,
And I am burdened with the choice I made
And lonely in the land where I am gone.