The infantry volleyed, and swept the guns,
And charged through the flame and smoke,
And rent and ruined those wavering lines
As through and through them they broke.
Thus Albion and her allies rolled on
Till from every position driven,
Bleeding and torn, ruined, and all forlorn,
The foe were cast to the four winds of heaven.
Oh, mourn! oh, pity! and weep, all the world;
At the close of that awful day
Two million of fearless, heroic dead
Were hidden forever away!
And the sinister skies were cleared again,
And the phantoms that fell on the sea,
And the fierce crimson clouds faded away,
And heaven’s blue shone again o’er me.
I heard a song, as of seraphic choirs,
And it floated down from above,
A most wonderful song of ecstasy,
Of rejoicing and infinite love.
And the celestial host soared upward,
Away, repeating the chorus; it ran:
“For the world is redeemed; joy! joy! joy!
Peace on earth and good will to man.”
CHARITY.
Seek but to benefit thy fellowman:
Let smiles, not frowns, his rugged path assail.
Better with blinded eyes his faults to scan,
Than let the sin of wrong and scorn prevail.
O Charity! unfold thy pure white wings,
Teach us to suffer and to forbear;
To hurl no darts, no evil, bitter stings,
For life is needful and full of care.
Then fold us, fold us, in thy pure white wings,
Shield us from ourselves, and let us see
Only good in others, and the joy that brings
Peace to us in life and in eternity.