Before Sedan.
“ The dead hand clasped a letter.”
—Special Correspondence.
Here, in this leafy place,1
Quiet he lies,2
Cold, with his sightless face3
Turned to the skies ;4
’Tis but another dead ;—5
All you can say is said.6
Carry his body hence,—7
Kings must have slaves ;8
Kings climb to eminence9
Over men’s graves :10
So this man’s eye is dim ;—11
Throw the earth over him.12
What was the white you touched,13
There, at his side ?14
Paper his hand had clutched15
Tight ere he died ;—16
Message or wish, may be ;—17
Smoothen it out and see.18
Hardly the worst of us19
Here could have smiled !—20
Only the tremulous21
Words of a child ;—22
Prattle, that has for stops23
Just a few ruddy drops.24
Look. She is sad to miss,25
Morning and night,26
His—her dead father’s—kiss ;27
Tries to be bright,28
Good to mamma, and sweet.29
That is all. “ Marguerite.”30
Ah, if beside the dead31
Slumbered the pain !32
Ah, if the hearts that bled33
Slept with the slain !34
If the grief died !— But no ;—35
Death will not have it so.36