Poems (Ford)/The Dead Hero
THE DEAD HERO.
Dead, do they tell us! or are we but dreaming?
Surely those terrible words are not true!
Surely our noble and fearless-souled chieftain
Can not forever have passed from our view!
Surely those terrible words are not true!
Surely our noble and fearless-souled chieftain
Can not forever have passed from our view!
Yes, he has gone with his life-work unfinished,—
Gone from the true hearts that loved him so well;
As the bright sun of his fame was but rising,
'Neath the proud banner of Freedom he fell.
Gone from the true hearts that loved him so well;
As the bright sun of his fame was but rising,
'Neath the proud banner of Freedom he fell.
Never again shall he flash forth amongst us
Words like the lightning, clear, brilliant and strong,
Nerving the hearts of the listening thousands
Sternly to strive 'gainst oppression and wrong.
Words like the lightning, clear, brilliant and strong,
Nerving the hearts of the listening thousands
Sternly to strive 'gainst oppression and wrong.
Never again, where the battle is raging,
Shall he the Green Flag wave proudly on high,
Rallying round it the brave sons of Erin,
'Neath the old Sunburst to conquer or die.
Shall he the Green Flag wave proudly on high,
Rallying round it the brave sons of Erin,
'Neath the old Sunburst to conquer or die.
Oh, what high hopes and what bright dreams of glory
Fondly we twined round that spirit so brave!
Dark to our eyes seems the future of Erin,
Since he is wrapped in the gloom of the grave.
Fondly we twined round that spirit so brave!
Dark to our eyes seems the future of Erin,
Since he is wrapped in the gloom of the grave.
Erin, thy sad eyes, like stars in the distance,
Look o'er the sea through the mist of their tears;
Still round thy brow is the dark cypress twining,
Closer it grows with the vanishing years.
Look o'er the sea through the mist of their tears;
Still round thy brow is the dark cypress twining,
Closer it grows with the vanishing years.
True hearts that strove for thy weal are departing,
Falling like leaves when the autumn winds moan;
Scarce are the tears for the loss of one hero
Dried on thy cheek, ere another is gone.
Falling like leaves when the autumn winds moan;
Scarce are the tears for the loss of one hero
Dried on thy cheek, ere another is gone.
Dear to thy heart was the love and devotion
Of this brave exile who suffered for thee;
And in the ranks of thy great hero-martyrs
Proudly thou'lt place him when chainless and free.
Of this brave exile who suffered for thee;
And in the ranks of thy great hero-martyrs
Proudly thou'lt place him when chainless and free.
God-gifted spirit, though with us no longer,
From the bright home of the blessed above
Earthward we know thou wilt often turn fondly,
Back to the sad martyr-land of thy love.
From the bright home of the blessed above
Earthward we know thou wilt often turn fondly,
Back to the sad martyr-land of thy love.
When the great day of our land's resurrection
Dawns, o'er her armies thy spirit shall glow
Dawns, o'er her armies thy spirit shall glow
And the grand soul of hero in heaven
Lead on to conquest the heroes below.
Lead on to conquest the heroes below.
Soldier and martyr, thy conflicts are over,
Angels shall waft thee to regions of light,
And from thy grave will the watchwords ring ever:
Erin and Liberty! God and the Right!
Angels shall waft thee to regions of light,
And from thy grave will the watchwords ring ever:
Erin and Liberty! God and the Right!