Page:A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields.djvu/147

14 Rolling, reverberating, and dying off! It is the forts. It is that they have seen In depths profound of spaces vast and dim, The sinister cannon-waggons darkly grouped; It is, that they the outlines have surprised Of cannons ranged; it is that in some wood From whence the owl has fled on hurried wings, Beside a field, they faintly have descried The black swarm of battalions on the march, With bayonet gleams, like points of silver sharp Commingled; it is that in thickets dense They have found out the flash of traitorous eyes Or tread of stealthy steps.How grand they are,These great watch-dogs, that in the darkness bay!