The Eve of Waterloo

There was a sound of revelry by night,And Belgium’s capital had gathered thenHer beauty and her chivalry, and brightThe lamps shone o’er fair women and brave men.A thousand hearts beat happily; and whenMusic arose with its voluptuous swell,Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,And all went merry as a marriage-bell:But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell!

Did ye not hear it? No; ’twas but the wind,Or the car rattling o’er the stony street.On with the dance! let joy be unconfined!No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meetTo chase the glowing hours with flying feet!But hark!--that heavy sound breaks in once more,As if the clouds its echo would repeat;And nearer, clearer, deadlier, than before!Arm! arm! it is--it is the cannon’s opening roar!

Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro,And gathering tears, and tremblings of distressAnd cheeks all pale, which, but an hour ago,Blushed at the praise of their own loveliness;And there were sudden partings, such as pressThe life from out young hearts, and choking sighsWhich ne’er might be repeated: who could guessIf ever more should meet those mutual eyes,Since upon night so sweet such awful morn could rise?

And there was mounting in hot haste: the steed,The mustering squadron, and the clattering car,Went pouring forward with impetuous speed,And swiftly forming in the ranks of war;And the deep thunder peal on peal afar;And near, the beat of the alarming drumRoused up the soldier ere the morning star;While thronged the citizens with terror dumb,Or whispering with white lips, “The foe! They come! They come!”

And Ardennes waves above them her green leaves,Dewy with Nature’s tear-drops, as they pass,Grieving, if aught inanimate e’er grieves,Over the unreturning brave--alas!Ere evening to be trodden like the grassWhich, now beneath them, but above shall growIn its next verdure, when this fiery massOf living valour, rolling on the foe,And burning with high hope, shall moulder cold and low.

Last noon beheld them full of lusty life,Last eve in Beauty’s circle proudly gay;The midnight brought the signal-sound of strife,The morn the marshalling in arms,--the day,Battle’s magnificently stern array!The thunder-clouds close o’er it, which, when rent,The earth is covered thick with other clay,Which her own clay shall cover, heaped and pent,Rider, and horse--friend, foe--in one red burial blent!