THE GOING OF THE BATTERY
WIVES' LAMENT
(November 2, 1899)
Thomas Hardy -
Poems of the Past and Present
I
O it was
sad enough,
weak enough,
mad enough -
Light in their
loving as soldiers can be -
First to risk choosing them, leave alone losing them
Now, in far battle, beyond the South Sea! . . .
II
- Rain came down drenchingly; but we unblenchingly
Trudged on beside them through
mirk and through
mire,
They stepping steadily--only too readily! -
Scarce as if stepping brought parting-time nigher.
III
Great
guns were gleaming there, living things seeming there,
Cloaked in their
tar-cloths, upmouthed to the night;
Wheels wet and yellow from axle to felloe,
Throats blank of sound, but
prophetic to
sight.
IV
Gas-glimmers drearily, blearily, eerily
Lit our pale faces outstretched for one
kiss,
While we stood prest to them, with a last
quest to them
Not to court
perils that honour could miss.
V
Sharp were those
sighs of ours,
blinded these eyes of ours,
When at last moved away under the arch
All we loved. Aid for them each
woman prayed for them,
Treading back slowly the track of their march.
VI
Someone said: "Nevermore will they come: evermore
Are they now lost to us." O it was wrong!
Though may be hard their ways, some Hand will guard their ways,
Bear them through
safely, in brief time or long.
VII
- Yet, voices
haunting us,
daunting us,
taunting us,
Hint in the night-time when life beats are low
Other and
graver things . . . Hold we to
braver things,
Wait we, in trust, what
Time's fulness shall show.