THEY made the warrior’s grave beside | |
| The dashing of his native tide: | |
| And there was mourning in the glen— | |
| The strong wail of a thousand men— | |
| O’er him thus fallen in his pride, | 5 |
| Ere mist of age—or blight or blast | |
| Had o’er his mighty spirit past. | |
| |
| They made the warrior’s grave beneath | |
| The bending of the wild elm’s wreath, | |
| When the dark hunter’s piercing eye | 10 |
| Had found that mountain rest on high, | |
| Where, scattered by the sharp wind’s breath, | |
| Beneath the ragged cliff were thrown | |
| The strong belt and the mouldering bone. | |
| |
| Where was the warrior’s foot, when first | 15 |
| The red sun on the mountain burst? | |
| Where—when the sultry noon-time came | |
| On the green vales with scorching flame, | |
| And made the woodlands faint with thirst? | |
| ’T was where the wind is keen and loud, | 20 |
| And the gray eagle breasts the cloud. | |
| |
| Where was the warrior’s foot when night | |
| Veiled in thick cloud the mountain-height? | |
| None heard the loud and sudden crash— | |
| None saw the fallen warrior dash | 25 |
| Down the bare rock so high and white! | |
| But he that drooped not in the chase | |
| Made on the hills his burial-place. | |
| |
| They found him there, when the long day | |
| Of cold desertion passed away, | 30 |
| And traces on that barren cleft | |
| Of struggling hard with death were left— | |
| Deep marks and footprints in the clay! | |
| And they have laid this feathery helm | |
| By the dark river and green elm. | 35 |
| |
