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Lang, Andrew, 1844-1912

"Ban and Arriere Ban"


On this little page
See you when and whether
That they may.
Age was very old -
Stones from Chichimec
Hardly wrung;
Youth had hair of gold
Knotted on her neck -
Fair and young!
Age was carved with odd
Slaves, and priests that slew them -
God and Beast;
Man and Beast and God -
There she sat and drew them,
King and Priest!
There she sat and drew
Many a monstrous head
And antique;
Horrors from Peru,
HUACAS doubly dead,
Dead cacique!
Ere Pizarro came
These were lords of men
Long ago;
Gods without a name,
Born or how or when,
None may know!
Now from Yucatan
These doth Science bear
Over seas;
And methinks a man
Finds youth doubly fair,
Sketching these!

ON CALAIS SANDS

On Calais Sands the grey began,
Then rosy red above the grey,
The morn with many a scarlet van
Leap'd, and the world was glad with May!
The little waves along the bay
Broke white upon the shelving strands;
The sea-mews flitted white as they
On Calais Sands!
On Calais Sands must man with man
Wash honour clean in blood to-day;
On spaces wet from waters wan
How white the flashing rapiers play,
Parry, riposte! and lunge! The fray
Shifts for a while, then mournful stands
The Victor: life ebbs fast away
On Calais Sands!
On Calais Sands a little space
Of silence, then the plash and spray,
The sound of eager waves that ran
To kiss the perfumed locks astray,
To touch these lips that ne'er said 'Nay,'
To dally with the helpless hands;
Till the deep sea in silence lay
On Calais Sands!
Between the lilac and the may
She waits her love from alien lands;
Her love is colder than the clay
On Calais Sands!

BALLADE OF YULE

This life's most jolly, Amiens said,
Heigh-ho, the Holly! So sang he.


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