The Battle Royal.
THOU Battle Royal! Kings and gentlemenAt arms, and lords have fought thee since the mistsOf time, back-rolling, show’d thy mimic listsAnd pigmy warriors, mazed and harried thenAs now in meshes of thy checkered strife—Unshielded Pawns, trim Knights and frowning RooksStolid yet quick, and Bishops smug, with looksA-squint, and King with lame yet endless life.Thou Battle Royal! Years unnumbered soilCards, draughts and dice with myriad grime-worn hands.Thou, lov’d by dames and lords in all the landsOf this broad world art still the world’s best play;Where, as in life, whilst others struggle, toil,And die, the imperious Queen controls the day!
THOU Battle Royal! Kings and gentlemenAt arms, and lords have fought thee since the mistsOf time, back-rolling, show’d thy mimic listsAnd pigmy warriors, mazed and harried thenAs now in meshes of thy checkered strife—Unshielded Pawns, trim Knights and frowning RooksStolid yet quick, and Bishops smug, with looksA-squint, and King with lame yet endless life.Thou Battle Royal! Years unnumbered soilCards, draughts and dice with myriad grime-worn hands.Thou, lov’d by dames and lords in all the landsOf this broad world art still the world’s best play;Where, as in life, whilst others struggle, toil,And die, the imperious Queen controls the day!
THOU Battle Royal! Kings and gentlemenAt arms, and lords have fought thee since the mistsOf time, back-rolling, show’d thy mimic listsAnd pigmy warriors, mazed and harried thenAs now in meshes of thy checkered strife—Unshielded Pawns, trim Knights and frowning RooksStolid yet quick, and Bishops smug, with looksA-squint, and King with lame yet endless life.
THOU Battle Royal! Kings and gentlemen
THOU Battle Royal! Kings and gentlemen
At arms, and lords have fought thee since the mists
Of time, back-rolling, show’d thy mimic lists
And pigmy warriors, mazed and harried then
As now in meshes of thy checkered strife—
Unshielded Pawns, trim Knights and frowning Rooks
Stolid yet quick, and Bishops smug, with looks
A-squint, and King with lame yet endless life.
Thou Battle Royal! Years unnumbered soilCards, draughts and dice with myriad grime-worn hands.Thou, lov’d by dames and lords in all the landsOf this broad world art still the world’s best play;Where, as in life, whilst others struggle, toil,And die, the imperious Queen controls the day!
Thou Battle Royal! Years unnumbered soil
Cards, draughts and dice with myriad grime-worn hands.
Thou, lov’d by dames and lords in all the lands
Of this broad world art still the world’s best play;
Where, as in life, whilst others struggle, toil,
And die, the imperious Queen controls the day!