Page:Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.djvu/24

16 (Tide-mark

And top of the ages' strike,

Verge where they called the world to come,

The last advance of life—

Ha ha, the rust on the Iron Dome!)

Nay, but revere the hid event;

In the cloud a sword is girded on,

I mark a twinkling in the tent

Of Michael the warrior one.

Senior wisdom suits not now,

The light is on the youthful brow.

(Ay, in caves the miner see:

His forehead bears a blinking light;

Darkness so he feebly braves—

A meagre wight!)

But He who rules is old—is old;

Ah! faith is warm, but heaven with age is cold.

(Ho ho, ho ho,

The cloistered doubt

Of olden times

Is blurted out!)