A Friend’s Song for Simoisius

The breath of dew and twilight's grace Be on the lonely battle-place, And to so young, so kind a face, The long protecting grasses cling! (Alas, alas, That one inexorable thing!) In rocky hollows cool and deep, The honey-bees unrifled sleep; The early moon from Ida steep Comes to the empty wrestling-ring; Upon the widowed wind recede No echoes of the shepherd's reed; And children without laughter lead The war-horse to the watering; With footstep separate and slow The father and the mother go, Not now upon an urn they know To mingle tears for comforting. Thou stranger Ajax Telamon! What to the lovely hast thou done, That nevermore a maid may run With him across the flowery Spring? The world to me has nothing dear Beyond the namesake river here: Oh, Simois is wild and clear! And to his brink my heart I bring; My heart, if only this might be, Would stay his waters from the sea, To cover Troy, to cover me, To haste the hour of perishing. (Alas, alas, That one inexorable thing!)