THE COUNTERSIGN

THE COUNTERSIGN

On guard my heavy Heart did stand,And sleep had conquered her,Had not one cold and rigid handGripped honor like a spur.It was the starkest watch of all,The hour before the end.Out rang the startled challenge-call:“Halt! Who goes there?” “A Friend.”“The countersign?” my spent Heart cried,And forward-peering stood.A Voice as strange as sweet replied:“The word is BROTHERHOOD.”

On guard my heavy Heart did stand,And sleep had conquered her,Had not one cold and rigid handGripped honor like a spur.It was the starkest watch of all,The hour before the end.Out rang the startled challenge-call:“Halt! Who goes there?” “A Friend.”“The countersign?” my spent Heart cried,And forward-peering stood.A Voice as strange as sweet replied:“The word is BROTHERHOOD.”

On guard my heavy Heart did stand,And sleep had conquered her,Had not one cold and rigid handGripped honor like a spur.

On guard my heavy Heart did stand,

And sleep had conquered her,

Had not one cold and rigid hand

Gripped honor like a spur.

It was the starkest watch of all,The hour before the end.Out rang the startled challenge-call:“Halt! Who goes there?” “A Friend.”

It was the starkest watch of all,

The hour before the end.

Out rang the startled challenge-call:

“Halt! Who goes there?” “A Friend.”

“The countersign?” my spent Heart cried,And forward-peering stood.A Voice as strange as sweet replied:“The word is BROTHERHOOD.”

“The countersign?” my spent Heart cried,

And forward-peering stood.

A Voice as strange as sweet replied:

“The word is BROTHERHOOD.”


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