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Monday, April 1, 2019

The Crusade - A Poem

My apologies for both lack of my usual Lenten Meditation post (I will try to post it soon!), and for the rather militaire rather than penitential nature of this particular poem - hopefully it is not too contrasting with the season...
***

Oh, how the cross's trumpets rang;
Hear what they had to say -
"Come over hill, come over dale,
Come march, we march away
To battle vice and win for Christ
Jerusalem, we pray -
Jerusalem, we pray!"

"As crimson as the blood we pledge
Is the red cross we bear -
Oh, come over hill, come over dale,
Come into the Eastern air,
To give your all for glory or fall
To give to our Host-King fair -
To give to our Host-King fair!"

Oh, have you heard the clarion call
That did so long ago
Come over hill, come over dale
To let all Christians know
Their time was for a godly war
Against all sin and woe -
Against all sin and woe?

And did you know that, although Time
Has since that holy ring
Come over hill, come over dale,
It still to all Christians sings:
"Standard unfurled, go purge the world
Of any unholy thing -
Of any unholy thing"?

And since, commanded, we must do
As we have thus been told,
Come over hill, come over dale,
Your courage and effort unfold
'Til our war-band may, hand-in-hand,
March into the gates of gold -
March into the gates of gold.

10 comments:

  1. This was an absolute delight to read. :) I loved the cadence and progression.

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    1. Thank you very much - I'm glad you enjoyed it!

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  2. Ahhhhhc it's so pretty!! Love this, Belle!! I like the last two verses especially. :)

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  3. This is so...glorious. And well-crafted. And...and AMAZING. I wish I had words, because I love it.
    (And I think that even though it doesn't precisely fit with Lent, it certainly DOES embody the purified and triumphant spirit of Easter. It's really beautiful. As I keep saying.)

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    1. Thank you so much - that means a great deal.
      (I suppose that works - thanks! And thanks for stopping by!)

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  4. WOW! Love it so much! Felt like an old song from medieval days ;D

    keturahskorner.blogspot.com

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    1. Molto grazie, Signorina! Glad you enjoyed it!

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  5. This poem honestly needs to be set to some modal or medieval sounding music....it's that good :)

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    1. Thanks! Haha, if I get the time to, I shall do my best!

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