The Dead



Hail and farewell to those who fought and died,
Not laughingly adventurous, nor pale
With idiot hatred, nor to fill the tale
Of racial selfishness and patriot pride,
But merely that their own souls rose and cried
Alarum when they heard the sudden wail
Of stricken freedom and along the gale
Saw her eternal banner quivering wide.

Farewell, high-hearted friends, for God is dead
If such as you can die and fare not well
If when you fall your gallant spirit fail.
You are with us still, and can we be adread
Though hell gape, bloody-fanged and horrible?
Glory and hope of us who love you, Hail!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

32 sec read
36

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBAABBA XXBAXB
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 587
Words 109
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 8, 6

John Le Gay Brereton

John Le Gay Brereton was an Australian poet, critic and professor of English at the University of Sydney. He was the first president of the Fellowship of Australian Writers when it was formed in Sydney in 1928. more…

All John Le Gay Brereton poems | John Le Gay Brereton Books

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    "The Dead" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/23696/the-dead>.

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