The Battle Autumn

Horowhenua Chronicle, 4 December 1915, Page 3

The Battle Autumn

lhe days oi war like storm-birds fly, The charging trumpets blow; rolls no thunder Jn the sky, -No earthquake strives below. And calm and patient' Nature keeps Her ancient promise well, Ihough o or her bioom and greenness sweeps The battle's breath of hell. And still she walks in golden hours Through harvest-happy farms, And still she wears her fruit and flowers. Like jewels on her arms. hat mean the gladness of the plain, lhis joy of eve and morn, The mirth that shakes the beard oi . grain And yellow locks of corn? Ah! eyes may well be full of tears, And hearts with hate are hot/ •But even-paced come round the years, And .Nature changes not She meets with smiles our bitter griet "With tongs our groans of pain; She mocks with tint of. flower and leaf The war-lield's crimson stain. Still, in tiie cannon's pause, we hear, Her sweet tiianksgiving-psaJm; J.OO near to God for doubt or fear, She shares the eternal calm.

&he knows tho seed lies sate below The fires that blast and burn; l<or all tho tears of blood we bow She waits tho rich return fche sees witli clearer eyes than ours The good of suffering born— llie hearts that blossom like her Hovers, And ripen like her corn. Oh, give to us, in times like these, The vision of her eyes; And make her fields and fruited trees Our golden prophecies 1 Oh, give to us her finer earl Above -this stormy din., We too would hear the bells of cheer .Ring peace and freedom, in. JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER, 1862.