Richard Watson Gilder (Ричард Уотсон Гилдер)

The New Day. Part 3. 2. “My Love for Thee Doth March Like Armèd Men”

My love for thee doth march like armèd men,
     ⁠Against a queenly city they would take.
⁠     Along the army's front its banners shake;
     ⁠Across the mountain and the sun-smit plain
It stedfast sweeps as sweeps the stedfast rain;
⁠     And now the trumpet makes the still air quake,
⁠     And now the thundering cannon doth awake
⁠     Echo on echo, echoing loud again.
But, lo! the conquest higher than bard e'er sung:
⁠     Instead of answering cannon, proud surrender!
⁠     Joyful the iron gates are open flung
And, for the conqueror, welcome gay and tender!
⁠     O, bright the invader's path with tribute flowers,
     ⁠While comrade flags flame forth on wall and towers!

Richard Watson Gilder’s other poems:

  1. The New Day. Part 3. 30. The Sower
  2. The New Day. Part 3. 4. “What Would I Win Thee To?”
  3. The New Day. Part 3. 15. Listening to Music
  4. The New Day. Part 3. 22. The Lover’s Lord and Master
  5. The New Day. Part 3. 23. Song (My love grew with the growing night)




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