[00:00:00] The Souls of the Slain - Richard Burton [00:00:01] The thick lids of Night closed upon me [00:00:03] Alone at the Bill [00:00:05] Of the Isle by the Race [00:00:07] Many caverned bald wrinkled of face [00:00:11] And with darkness and silence the spirit was on me [00:00:15] To brood and be still [00:00:18] No wind fanned the flats of the ocean [00:00:22] Or promontory sides [00:00:24] Or the ooze by the strand [00:00:26] Or the bent bearded slope of the land [00:00:29] Whose base took it's rest amid everlong motion [00:00:32] Of criss crossing tides [00:00:36] Soon from out of the Southward seemed nearing [00:00:38] A whirr as of wings [00:00:40] Waved by mighty vanned flies [00:00:42] Or by night moths of measureless size [00:00:45] And in softness and smoothness well nigh beyond hearing [00:00:50] Of corporal things [00:00:54] And they bore to the bluff and alighted [00:00:57] A dim discerned train [00:00:58] Of sprites without mould [00:01:00] Frameless souls none might touch or might hold [00:01:03] On the ledge by the turreted lantern farsighted [00:01:06] By men of the main [00:01:09] And I heard them say [00:01:10] Home and I knew them [00:01:13] For souls of the felled [00:01:14] On the earth's nether bord [00:01:16] Under Capricorn whither they'd warred [00:01:18] And I neared in my awe [00:01:20] And gave heedfulness to them [00:01:23] With breathings inheld [00:01:26] Then it seemed [00:01:26] There approached from the northward [00:01:27] A senior soul flame [00:01:29] Of the like filmy hue [00:01:32] And he met them and spake [00:01:33] Is it you [00:01:34] O my men [00:01:36] Said they [00:01:36] Aye We bear homeward and hearthward [00:01:39] To list to our fame [00:01:42] I've flown there before you he said then [00:01:45] Your households are well [00:01:46] But your kin linger less [00:01:50] On your glory arid war mightiness [00:01:52] Than on dearer things [00:01:55] Dearer cried these from the dead then [00:01:57] Of what do they tell [00:02:00] Some mothers muse sadly and murmur [00:02:02] Your doings as boys [00:02:04] Recall the quaint ways [00:02:06] Of your babyhood's innocent days [00:02:08] Some pray that ere dying [00:02:10] Your faith had grown firmer [00:02:13] And higher your joys [00:02:16] A father broods Would I had set him [00:02:19] To some humble trade [00:02:20] And so slacked his high fire [00:02:22] And his passionate martial desire [00:02:24] Had told him no stories to woo him and whet him [00:02:27] To this due crusade [00:02:31] And General how hold out our sweethearts [00:02:33] Sworn loyal as doves [00:02:36] Many mourn; many think [00:02:37] It is not unattractive to prink [00:02:39] Them in sables for heroes [00:02:42] Some fickle and fleet hearts [00:02:44] Have found them new loves [00:02:47] And our wives quoth another resignedly [00:02:50] Dwell they on our deeds [00:02:53] Deeds of home; that live yet [00:02:55] Fresh as new deeds of fondness or fret [00:02:58] Ancient words that were kindly expressed or unkindly [00:03:02] These these have their heeds [00:03:06] Alas then it seems that our glory [00:03:08] Weighs less in their thought [00:03:09] Than our old homely acts [00:03:11] And the long ago commonplace facts [00:03:13] Of our lives held by us as scarce part of our story [00:03:16] And rated as nought [00:03:19] Then bitterly some [00:03:20] Was it wise now [00:03:21] To raise the tomb door [00:03:22] For such knowledge Away [00:03:25] But the rest [00:03:26] Fame we prized till today [00:03:28] Yet that hearts keep us green for [00:03:30] Old kindness we prize now [00:03:32] A thousand times more [00:03:35] Thus speaking the trooped apparitions [00:03:37] Began to disband [00:03:38] And resolve them in two [00:03:40] Those whose record was lovely and true [00:03:42] Bore to northward for home [00:03:43] Those of bitter traditions [00:03:45] Again left the land [00:03:46] And towering to seaward in legions [00:03:48] They paused at a spot [00:03:49] Overbending the Race [00:03:51] That engulphing ghast sinister place [00:03:53] Whither headlong they plunged 404

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